These stories are finished in the sense there's a beginning and an end, but they're not complete on plot value and the background of characters. >SigH< There's a lot of detail and such so if you don't have time to read them but for some reason do, copy past the suckers and find time.

I want critism. Tear apart the characters if you want, question my abilities to portray Megs and Prime as all others. But, I’m giving this story to you guys to read and enjoy if you want, I’m getting nothing out of it but helpful comments. That’s what I’m needing for the next story I’m working on (hopefully will be better with better details of favored characters)

These stories were written with the Armada and Energon in mind, but they go into some interesting details later that involve G1 characters. It’s a surprise I hope to give. But, sadly, nothing very interesting happens until the fifth or sixth…I dunno, season. Aw, well, enjoy.

*edit*

Try the second page. Greg and Bolt are some pretty funny characters, and Astrotrain makes his appearance though I'm not so sure where he came from. There are Bios as well for Ops and Sparkplug though I think there's a little too much.

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Prologue

Far as the eye could perceive there was nothing but lush green meadows deep with grass, laying over the many hills across the land. High above the sky was something from a dream, a lucid blue with not a cloud dampening the phenomenal color. Through the thin blades of grass the wind hissed forming glistening waves over the surface with each dust, it is the only sound….

Aside from a heavy clanking of metal joints rubbing and shifting in a one-manned band all its own.

The figure is silent to a figurative sense, his joints hiss or grind with each step but no sound comes from his voice on his ascent of the bright hill. This planet was a special place to him, he imagined, though his memory dimmed through the passing days he could still recall the sensations that lingered deep. Across his polished hide somewhat dulled in his time the sun glint reflecting a near mirror like surface across his arms, legs, torso, and back. He stepped easily on his gnarled feet pushing him higher up the small knoll, each move he made clinked over the gentle grass around his form, the younger blades sprout up between his toes, away from the breeze the lush green curl with moist dew. He duped his head and reared back to check his path, he was almost near his target and continued on his path, his large head held low. The high pillar was visible from where he stood, its surface calcified flaked with the many long years that had passed in minutes of its own time, the sun was reflected as dull glitter along its remaining edge. His ears twitch as he mutters a faint growl.

He did not know what would become of the Slay-blades without a master to wield them, he did not know if the boy would keep them, all that mattered was they were away from him now. It pained him to think that the one who rested within the planet had never once heard about Veren, or never once was told of the one that had liberated him. But in the past following him he had been freed from a many grievance though still felt cheated, he could only move on with maybe a glance back, maybe someone would be standing there waiting for him. They would always be waiting for him now but for some reason he was afraid to follow them.

After all he had been through, all he had done, he only had faint memories. Proof of his title was where no scar marked his body, only the faded tint and his gritty limbs. He was called God Grave Digger Mini-Con, but he was not even that. Only his brother could call him Grave Digger Mini-Con. In his time he had seen many wars, many battles fought, the only ones to have impacted his soul were those that had tested him the harshest. He had scraped and scavenged to find his lost race of Transformers then lost them, then he had lost it. Everything was taken from him and he could not go back. It wasn’t that he didn’t deserve to, this held no meaning to him, it was for some reason he didn’t feel the driving urge to return, to be wanted. To learn he was missed if he was. He simply wanted to let it be.

But for him there was no loss when miracles were involved. It was a miracle he was still alive, it was a miracle someone he had destroyed could show him mercy, a miracle he was free. He hoped those no of his were finally free now, to do what it is they yearned to, to learn what it was they could, to ask questions never before seen. He hoped there would never be ‘a’ Unicron, ever again. But as he judged it, hope was only listed to lead you on to your dreams and make them reality, and reality was only that if another saw the same. He sacrificed until he had no more, and now he had nothing to lose. Nothing but himself.

He didn’t care.

The aged weary being stepped toward the gave sight staring down upon the pink Naxtea Petal lilies. The owner of this world loved them so they had begun to grow everywhere across his grave, and perhaps all over the planet. They were so loved they flourished so. The light catches his eyes glinting in such a way they appeared just as awesome as they ever captivated. The wind picked up whittling through his articulate joints emitting a faint whistle he thought he remembered, one that had called him from a deep sleep of evil. At his neck the red star shifts, the brittle glass points chiming against his dark gray chest. He was glad to have been given a second chance, but only if others like him could be offered the same, those that held no sin to their name that he branded to all. He was here to see the grave before he made his next decision on his course of life.

He was staying.

With a faint sigh he tips his head to a side as his awesome eyes flitter out. He murmured these last sorrowful words in his deep, exhausted tone grinding, through all he had endured….

He spoke to the grave.

At last he can rest, and crumples to his chest in the soft green grass crumpling the many blades under him. Before the tip of his snout is a Naxtea Petal lily standing, the wind tickled its blossoms while whistling over the armored hide baking in the high energon sun.

The only sound was the wind.

Auto-Deception

By Bizarro Awesomus Dynamo (BAD)

1

As long as Optimus Prime lived, he felt he would always be astounded. Not just by his fate, or those he had come across since the legendary robots, Mini-Con’s, had been awakened, the humans of Earth, Unicron, Megatron, anything else he forgot to mention. Why had his life been so astounding? Why not some other being of the universe’s glories? Was it the matrix that drew out all sentient beings just a little more than normal? Or was it the Matrix within his being. That was almost preposterous to think of. Yet, he couldn’t help feel that part of this could be true.

While he drove down a road, the sun slowly setting behind the horizon of forest trees thriving next to a beach of-he was between them on the road-the sun transformed the clouds red and the sky pink, he was not alone. On the road behind him were two Autobot’s following him back to headquarters, Hot Shot and Trailbreaker. In his cockpit rode a human.

A normal human by standards. His name was Veren. The name was no longer as odd as it sounded, it had been made known nearly a year and a half or so ago when this individual had nearly been killed during a raid for one of the dormant Mini-Con robots. An accident that could have ended this individual’s life made him known to the Decepticons, a Transformer chaser that had made a mistake. Many still didn’t know who he really was, his appearance was restricted to the western states and in only a year he had been noted twice analyzing Transformer battles. His clothing was dirty, dusty with orange sand. Covering his head was a long, slender blue and black helmet. The helmet held the wounds of a battle. Deep grooves in the top with blood splattered around them. The wound looked deeper than it was truly. It would have been fatal had he never worn it.

He was asleep now, nestled against the driver’s door curled up and his hands stuffed under cheek. He had a long day, fighting for a life and the freedom of his friend—like so many before him.

To his left with chin pressed to chest but far from asleep, was a large Mini-Con that stood six-foot-five. He looked like a big raptor. The crved triangle patch’s around the eyes were dark, giving the notion he was asleep, but Optimus suspected he was far from it.

To be honest Prime felt a little nerve racked to have this Mini-Con riding outside his protective container and within his vulnerable interior, but why shouldn’t he trust him now? It had gone too great lengths to protect him and his Autobot’s, even without Veren’s command. Veren even assured them he wouldn’t fight. But she had been translating what the morbid thing would say through grunts, snarls growls, and whimpered noises. Was it even a sentient being? What kind of question was that? He had seen it protecting the human, and other humans by Veren’s command, even if he didn’t give a command. But was it just playing around? Waiting for a proper opportunity to make the kill? The Mini-Con was gravely intelligent outside his appearance. He could come up with complex generalship that seemed beyond the actuality of his motives in any given time, but they always added up in the end when it was the time to matter, it came to a conclusion for its goals.

But Prime was almost hearted by the Mini-Cons earlier acts performed, which were nothing but courageous and sacrificial towards himself, benefiting the humans and Mini-Cons whom feared him so.

But the human next to him.

Veren had not feared Grave Digger, when he was first awakened. He had been around the point of tears without pleading. The Mini-Con was something special to him. He was powerful and terrifying, he did not know this, it could have killed him. It didn’t. He wanted to help it.

Where had this all begun? A normal day. Running patrols to locate missing Mini-Con’s, the ones forgotten during the Unicron battles, too frightened to do anything but hide. By then, humans had discovered the Mini-Con’s. Then there was no point to hide, hiding was stupid especially with Megatron stomping around. When had he returned again? That wasn’t important now. The important thing was stopping Megatron from stealing the remaining Mini-Con’s, and hurting humans to do so. The important thing was, stopping Megatron from stealing anymore energon.

Megatron never seemed the same after his experience with Unicron. So, why go after the Mini-Con’s again when they were absolute? Whatever Megatron had planned was most likely going to endanger the universe. So, everyone picked up their guns, drew lines, and the war started again. With a cataclysmic difference, humans had to watch and take part in it.

That’s where Veren appeared somewhere, or was noticed, by Megatron of all Transformers. He immediately took interest. Why a human? Possibly because he couldn’t catch him, and that was interesting on it’s own. But how did this all happen again? Where did it all begin? The beginning was fuzzy, and Optimus Prime felt that the beginning was still taking place right now. This was a sickening thought, which meant the war was not even close to over. It was starting all over again.

2
The olden summer day was fresh and new at dawning sun, untainted by the horrors of baking sun onto the surface of the grass opening pores to begin photosynthesis for the passing time. The grass grew along the stretch of high way, tall and slender bending gently in the fresh breeze that came of the cool night, clouds were sparse in the line of crisp blue sky, soft flakes dotting the exspanse giving difference to the crystal space. The surrounding trees were filled with dark green leaves, the new buds of spring had grown out into large flat leaves better for collecting sun rays. The sound was of the wisp of wind through the grass blades. It was a perfect latter summer day.

A new sound came into play. A motor. A soft, spurring motor that ran fast. Another sound followed that, rythematic pounding into the air.

On the highway, a stray figure darts by, not far behind the figure bellowed a helicopter seven feet from the road. The helicopter was beyond state of the art, it was the militaries latest Cougar-Mark 41. It was slender silver stream lined, packed tightly into itself, the cockpit was angled in a way that two passengers could sit upright while the pilot lay on his belly with gun controls and other ammo lay at their finger tips. But no one rode in the helicopter, no one drove it either.

The figure riding the motorcycle seemed to no have the awareness that a helicopter followed. The blades beat down over the road in high noon. A careful glance behind them explained that this figure was trying to escape the helicopter. He hugged the motorcycle close gaining enough speed to slide ahead, a miss-move and the vehicle would tumble into scattered parts and the crumpled body of the rider.

“Veren! You stop right now, or I’ll shoot!” Surprisingly, this male voice came from the helicopter in a metallic grind slacked by glee.

He called without straining a backward glance. “Not a chance Cyclonus! You want the Mini-Con, you’ll have to catch me!”

Veren was a teenager just beginning high school. His universal attire, even when escaping from a killer robot, was a large over shirt worn unbuttoned and open over a soft cotton shirt-solid color, and blue jeans. He never wore shoes, or as far as any one could see. A sight that stuck him out like a sore thumb was a custom made helmet slender and long, blue underside and black over covering, the eye slits colored a dim lime green. Currently, he held a heavy sack-pack upon his back secured tightly if he should fall, he would not lose it.

“I’ll skip your alternative!” the vents running along the sides of the silver helicopter lit with firearms, purple bolts littered the ground either side the cyclist as they sped on, shredding through the tarmac. He swerved with great accuracy missing the shots.

The drivers sounded more annoyed than alarmed. “You idiot! If you destroy me, you’ll damage the Mini-Con!”

“Hmm…decisions, decisions. Should I destroy you, thus losing the Mini-Con, but gain satisfaction in crushing the life from your stupid being! Or should I claim the Mini-Con and then crush you!”

“Either way, it’s all the same!” Veren headed for a tunnel set into a large steep hill.

Cyclonus shrieked out and began firing again, this time more precise. Veren uttered a groan of annoyance as he winced. He was late for class, and it was all because of the Decepticon behind him.

Veren lived in the time when shape shifting robots that had customized themselves to the planet, robots that called themselves Transformers. No one could tell for sure where one of the two races would appear. They blended almost perfectly with normal vehicles, thus their disguise depending on what they were. Autobot’s and Decepticon’s fought upon Earth for years after their arrival. For few years, humans lived in fear as battles were wagged anywhere a Decepticon sought fit. Autobot’s attempted countless times to prevent harsh war for the safety of the beings of Earth.

The entire reason these Transformers came to Earth was due to the appearance of the human sized robots, Mini-Con’s. Mini-Con’s had hidden and protected themselves by going into a frozen state, hibernating. They were disguised in green disks with the Mini-Con symbol carved on. Once activated, the Mini-Con robot’s held powerful capabilities. They were weak, sometimes fragile, but when linked to one of the larger robot, the power increase was astounding. Normally weak Transformers could decimate entire cities, or crush the mightiest of enemies. It was rumored millions of years ago the Mini-Cons’ ship cashed somewhere on Earth. The Mini-Con’s were thus scattered to the far corners of the planet and covered up as the sands of time shifted the planet to its will. It is also whispered that this was not the first appearance of the robots. That the Autobot’s and Decepticon’s had gone unnoticed before on Earth, to gather these special Transformers, but didn’t finish when a distress call their home world summoned them back. Now they had returned, to finish what they started, or as Megatron saw fit.

At the beginning of these historcial events, part of the ship had been reactivated sending a distress signal back to Cybertron, that it had been stranded. Both Autobot’s and Decepticon’s alike rushed to Earth to claim these robots for their own. Either side ran under the command of their powerful leader-the sentient Optimus Prime leader of the Autobot’s, and the malevolent Megatron, controller of the Decepticon’s.

After the Autobot and Decepticon’s left to return to their home world, all had been quiet for some time. The Mini-Con’s had been forgotten, belief that they had all been discovered. Each team had been wrong. After Unicron had been destroyed for the fourth and final time, a brand new signal went out. Like a calm gentle whisper, it beckoned the Autobot’s and Decepticon’s back. It was looking for some return call, to know it had reached them.

They responded.

The two teams returned to find what had been forgotten. With the two races of Transformers also came few strays, looking to make easy profit from maintaining a Mini-Con.

It was now seldom, but not foreign, to see a Transformer in a city. It was usually the Autobot’s attempting peaceful means to obtaining Mini-Con friends. A frequent find for humans, unintentional, were the Mini-Con stasis panels in construction sites. It seemed they were everywhere, even on the opposite side of the globe. No one could escape, even if they wished. It was as said many, many years before: “There are thousands of Mini-Con’s out there. You’re barely scratching the surface.”

The government created special programs designed to collect the panels from people in order to help the Autobot’s. This also protected the humans, getting Decepticon alerting candy away from large cities. Though many times some disks collected did disappear.

When humans learned of the Mini-Con robots, certain new areas opened in society. Some humans saw profit in selling the still Mini-Con’s online to each other, to Autobot’s, and often times Decepticon’s. When the newly awakening Mini-Con’s learned of the human creatures keeping eye out for them, some sought a new life—seeking to escape the harsh realities that followed them resulting in demolition. They could get jobs working with humans, if either understood the other well enough. Some even befriended the robots. Few actually went out looking for the plates, as one found often times meant that Decepticons were near willing to do anything to achieve it before an Autobot.

The second generation of Mini-Con hunting was given a name, as the Armada generation had before them. The second generation of Mini-Con was called ‘Hour Glass’. As such, there were some Autobots, even Decepticons that fell under this category as well.

Veren did have a Mini-Con with him. It was mandatory for the underground program he was with. His bike was not the Mini-Con, he stole that from someone when the Decepticon, Cyclonus, attacked in the city. The problem was he didn’t know how much gas was in the tank, and he didn’t know how far the bike would go. The tunnel looked like a great escape.

“Veren! Today is the day I mutilate you!” After a pause, the Decepticon continued his fire. He was desperate to hit the human, if he let him enter the tunnel-too small for his form-it would be long before he had another chance to get the Mini-Con.

Usually a human with a Mini-Con was an easy score. You could simply raise your foot and demand, “Give it!” And the human would typically obey. But Veren was different. He was different like the rest of them. He had a Mini-Con and wouldn’t oblige to a command from any one, but himself. In a sense he was a living trophy. Suicidal humans such as this were difficult to come by, on top of that those few actually lived long enough to tick off Decepticon lord Megatron without gettinng body obliterated upon a first meeting. A Decepticon that could catch him could brag about it for a good time, until a better challenge came along. Veren was a human that Megatron himself failed to destroy.

Veren suddenly threw his leg to one side of the bike leaning and braked hard. The stead fell grinding with sparks hissing up surprising him, he spun with bike across the charred road. Cyclonus sailed over just above his head, he covered his helmet shielding himself from the current. A loud crunch sounded when Cyclonus plowed into the wall of the tunnel. The bike struggled with Veren, but he righted it and rode off the high way, through the tall grass, to a tree lining.

“That was a dirty trick,” Cyclonus lay at the outside of the tunnel on his side. His front dented in badly and a copter blade snapped off when he collided with simple concrete, he would need a new paint job and tune up, but he wasn’t damaged internally. After rearranging his joints, he stood in his robot glory and eyed the mud cut on the grass where Veren slid off into the forest. “I’ll get that dirty human,” he muttered as he jogged off towards the trees.

Veren wheeled the motorcycle slowly keeping balance with his feet as he kicked along. From recent experience, he knew Cyclonus could track the bike, but wouldn’t abandon it for the fact he was around thirty-miles from his hometown. He made up for this danger by keeping careful track of where he was going, hiding under the trees, constantly looking up for a tall robot with a stupid smirk. When he suspected the area clear, he wheeled the bike along.

A large steel foot came down on the front of the bike crushing it and sent Veren flying. He was fortunate he wore a helmet, he tumbled forward landing painfully on his arm. He quickly stood again turning to look up at the Decepticon. “Jerk!” the Decepticon yelped as he raised a pistol in one fist. This was the universal way of saying “Gimme!”.

“Fine, alright!” he set his sack-pack down opening it and pulling out a heavy pillowcase. Cyclonus giggled excited. Veren looked at him slyly through the eyes of the helmet. “You really want this Mini-Con, don’t you?”

“And you.” He smirked with power and ideas.

“But first the Mini-Con,” he spun around chucking the heavy sack over a tree into a bush. Cyclonus growled taking his eyes off Veren to follow the parcel, he stumbled over the tree to find the sack.

“Where is it?” Cyclonus found the brightly colored pillowcase easily with a few careful scans. He picked the small cloth up between two fingers and slipped the metal piece out. He stared a long time at the cheap piece of cut metal not registering at first what this was about. With a growl he turned back to where Veren stood. He was gone. He grit his teeth growling, the cheap piece of square metal slipped to his palm and he crushed it by clinching his fist gentle. “You tricked me again!”

3
The Horizon High School was the average high school, ranging in grades nine through twelve. It had no high standard dress code, no restrictions against much but drugs, weapons, gangs, violence, and Mini-Con’s. The school was very relaxed, even with the war not far away in the same country. One no-no was the Mini-Con stasis panels. Anyone caught with one while on school grounds faced a year of suspension, or if not a student that person could be apprehended by the police. This expresses the seriousness toward atricles considered harmless by many.

After half a day of walking and a hitched ride, Veren made it home only in time to call school and find what assignments he missed. He had to wait another day before he could return to school and claim books needed to work from.

At school many felt safe from the terrors of Autobot and Decepticon war, but many didn’t talk of them either. High school was for books, parties, activities, clubs, friends, special friends, relationships—it was the greatest time of anyone’s life. Sometime it was the harshest.

Veren opened the locker exchanging books and folders for another set of folders for class one. Veren removed the helmet from the sack-pack, while sure no one was looking, and stuffed it into the locker. He was actually a she. She slammed the door and locked the lock to stand and turn away for class. Her face was rounded and when in a frown looked annoyed, but when happy she was very exuberant. A skill for concealing her emotions was one of the reasons she had survived so long without any serious injury, that and her ability to slip into massive hords of people while removing the features that made her stick out. Her hair was short and light tan with natural amber high lights round the top of her scalp. She kept a pair of sunglasses folded in the bandana at her neck, a feature she could not be without.

Veren felt anxiety, as she walked down the cold concrete halls of her school. Cyclonus had found her for only one reason. Either he knew where she would be or what she looked like. She kept her movement discrete and kept her tracks covered. She did have the Mini-Con in her sack-pack, now uncovered. She had two worries. One that someone would see it while removing a folder, or that another Decepticon would show up following the signal. If it was awakening from it’s hibernation.

“Does that really work?” her friend had found her, as constant play through the halls. Her hair was midnight black and her skin was tanned. She was taller than Veren with a pierced eyebrow. She was strong, a bit thicker through the shoulders than the smaller friend but as Veren said many times, she loved speed. Her face was long and looked stylish when her hair was braided back, some of the kids from the daycare she worked for were afraid of her only until they got to know her. She was actually soft for the little tykes. She wore her typical shirt with the thick pants, the lower section of her pants was unzipped and probably in the locker.

Veren just smiled to her covering her woes. “You have no idea.”

Justin had no idea Veren’s second life. Three-years back, some kids at the Horizon High School tried to open a new club based on a recently uncovered phantom organization called Auto-Deception. The request was denied because this organization like all was illegal and considered dangerous, even if it wasn’t real the intentions were still the same and capable of flarring foul feelings from Decepticons. Little was known about it, but despite not ‘existing’ it gained it’s own place in publicity in little time. As a phantom it was considered a false gathering while no one ever saw evidence of it, others heard of it through gossip. Others claimed to have seen people wearing helmets for no particular reason but to witness a Transformer conflict. The helmet Veren wore was part of the organization, she was not.

If a Decepticon knew what she looked like, they would most certainly hound her until she was dead, which wouldn’t take long. Not only were Decepticon’s keeping an eye out for these ‘helmets’ characteristic to the most insane of their clutch, it would be traced by police, as many others part of the cult had to protect themselves by keeping the helmet a secret from whomever may recognize it. The helmet, a secret to the identity of Auto-Deception which protected these people, could also trace them back to their connections. By even being associated with it, one could be put away for a good time if not tried for treason foremost and executed. Justin had no idea of the helmet Veren wore, and she wanted to keep it that way.

“Where were you yesterday?”

Veren shrugged while coming up with a favorite excuse. “I wasn’t feeling well.”

“I hope you feel better today.”

Veren and Justin shared a strange friendship. Since the Transformers arrival many years before, since they were young, people dived deep into their own personal ethics, attacking each other’s with good humor among friends and they’re own from the families past mistakes. Scientist noticed this surfacing and did studies about it…for money. They said it was due to the Transformers, the race was one the same, but Decepticon were evil and Autobot’s were good. Some scientist even described the Decepticon’s as misunderstood miss-programmed machines, but the Autobot’s held high morals and stronger belief towards good for all and strict code of honor. Or some crap like that.

In daily intervals Justin and Veren would attack each other and themselves. Poking fun at the past grievances and pretending to be upset when the one said something that would offend some less wise stranger. The two were a hard duel to escape. Boasting loudly about beliefs, then listening quietly as one spoke about another thing. The two completed the other. But Veren always felt something pulling her away from Justin as the two grew older. It began when they reached high school.

During the first block, Veren’s worst fears were realized. The intercom hummed to life with an announcement from the principal:

“Attentions students and staff. We’ve received communications from the Autobot squad stationed at Ocean city. They have informed us that a Mini-Con stasis signal has been activated within our school grounds. Since earlier scanning had been taken showing no foreign metals under the soil, the Autobot’s will be posted on school grounds as sentries. If some of you feel uncomfortable with this that is understandable, you may be excused from school today, however, early dismissal will come after third block. Those wishing to leave now, please report to the office at this time to sign out. Busses will be provided, but at this time only. Thank you for your attention, that is all.” The intercom went silent.

Veren had been sitting in GOVT Histories next to Justin. The room went immediately silent when the word ‘Autobots’ was uttered from the stuttering principal. Justin turned immediately to Veren.

“Did you hear that?” she was excited.

“Yes. That was the first time our class shut up for two solid minutes.”

“Not that. The announcement,” she smiled pleadingly, “Let’s go. We can sign out and instead of taking the bus home, we can go to the mall and hang out.”

A number of students stood and left with their sacks. The teacher bid them a goodbye and good day telling them to be safe.

Veren suspected a trap. The principal had clearly announced scans had been taken recently and nothing was found. Why were the Autobot’s here if there may be nothing strange? Why wasn’t the entire school made to evacuate at first? She turned away to a book of the civil war. “I don’t think so.” Then replied smirking. “You can go, if you’re scared.”

She hits Veren. “I am not.”

“You sound it. See, after third we can just go home. In fact, you can come and hang with me in my third block.”

“You’re skipping? Which class?”

“English. It’s dull anyway.”

“Why don’t we go now, while everyone’s still in the halls? If a security guard stops us, we’ll say we just got out of the bathroom.”

“What if he sees us come from a different hall while standing next to the rest room?”

“Point.” Justin seemed satisfied by this and snuggled back into her social studies book. She gave it a good go.

The class was just starting when the announcement was made, but it quickly passed after everyone left once the bell came. Possibly nothing to do, mixed with relentless fear.

Veren followed Justin from the class into a hall leading to the vast expanding main hall that ran through the school in a straight line, higher than a football goal, longer than two football fields. The school was two story, so a high sky light was at the very top of the school above the upper hall. The two walked through the small hall and found a conversation to run along.

“What are you doing after school?”

“Guess I’ll go home, unless you let me follow you.”

“What would your mom say?”

“Orphan mother.” Veren corrected grimly, another attack from Justin.

“I’m sorry, I forgot.” She lied giving a friendly smile to show no hard feelings.

When they entered the main hall, near the entrance of the school and it’s great arch outside, they were met by students and teachers leaving, those still participating in class moved with Veren down the main hall. The office would be a ways down the main hall to the left, that’s where much traffic would be. Those accumulating around the office to sign out and those trying to find a way by them, to or from.

Veren looked up from her friends face. To her surprise, an Autobot stood in the large hall about fifteen yards forward to the right. He looked around, scanning obviously, anyone that passed or was in the area. He looked friendly, not fierce and was red with orange lining. The kids passed him like he was not there, at the brick wall, a normal security guard of Horizon to the right of his foot. She was filled with a dropping sensation that culled her with sick fear. The Autobot would lock onto her, she would stick out like a spot of white with a background of black. He looked like his reach would be long enough that he could pick her out from the swarm of students— how he had gotten into the school would be a mystery Veren didn’t care to solve. She could only stare at him as they walked up.

“Do you think there’s one upstairs.”

“Mueh.” Veren mumbled to ill to speak.

Justin noticed her face. “Wow, you look white.”

She ignored Justin’s latest reply and saw the stairs just before the Autobot. Up stairs? Veren thought. “Of course. Autobot’s are to heavy to put upstairs,” she grabbed her friend ringing sappily. “Detour!”

“Excuse me?” she dragged her larger friend to the stairs and up.

“Detour?” the Autobot’s audio receptors picked up the familiar word and looked over the sea of future generations curious to find who spoke. He just missed Veren pushing her friend upstairs panicked. He shrugged it off, shifting his great shoulders, and turned back scanning the other students.

Justin was out of step nearly tripping by the time she reached the top. “What was that all about?”

“I’m terrified of red.”

Justin glared at the red bandana. “You’re yellow.”

To her horror Veren saw another Autobot. Even on top of the stairs she was not safe!

This Autobot was miss colored in three portions and very short as Transformer standards, barely standing over the crowd of heads. His eyes were like shades, blue, his body was dark gray and his face was silver. For feet, he had pink-orange legs, wheels like skates. The Mini-Con symbol was printed on his chest. He was actually a Mini-Con. As though he knew her, he turned his face from the crowd and looked straight at Veren.

A deer with a vengeance, Veren glared right back. She knew he knew. She only waited.

“Veren?”

Realizing this was perfect time to escape, Veren grabbed Justin by the shoulder and dragged her with her down the hall before him. It was out of his sight, but Veren knew he would have thermal sensing device’s, he could track her body heat as she ran.

Justin called alarmed. “Veren?”

Veren came to a walk among the bodies of a group of normal students. It might confuse the Mini-Con tracking her if he was not precise about whose body heat he tracked. Still dragging her friend, the two turned a corner. She felt the thick thuds of feet approaching, vibrating harder and harder through the floor as they caught up to them. Veren ducked into an open classroom pulling her friend with her, she shoved her up against a wall covering her mouth to stop heavy breathing, Veren did the same to herself just to be fair.
“Veren-“ Justin’s voice shrilled quieting when she saw how disturbed her friend actually was. She was pail-cold though they just ran a whole fifteen yards down a hall. Her breathing was deep, panicked, but she kept it quiet, subtitle, slowly breathing to maintain silence and normalcy. She felt the footsteps of the robot outside stomp away to search further.

Veren broke down when she was sure he was gone. She breathed hard and deep a long time. Those that sat in the classroom at the ready, stared at her bemused by the display.

“Veren? Sweety? Are you afraid of robots with guns?”

“Only those…that give me a funny look,” she gasped still trying to control her breathing.

Before Justin could question more, the teacher of the class walked up. “Good evening ladies.” The exuberant science teacher called as he sauntered over to them. Veren had dragged her friend to a sanctuary. This was not the fourth block she intended, the fourth block was down stairs at the end of the hall. However, Veren suspected this teacher to be an Auto-Deception. He had a black and white picture of Optimus downloaded from the internet, it was fuzzy and unclear, but the form was unmistakable. “Looking for science?”

“I guess, Dr. Barq.” Veren had maintained her calm. Of course someone who mocked a Decepticon, fleeing from them once a week, was not afraid of Autobot’s. She was afraid the Autobot’s would take away the only possession she owned, especially after protecting it for so long, year in a half.

Autobot’s were like security, though they couldn’t work on the force with humans, they made it their unofficial business as planet protectors, also protecting Mini-Con’s. Decepticon’s stole Mini-Con’s to hurt them. So stealing a Mini-Con from an Autobot was unjust, were hording one from Decepticon’s was life-threatening business and considered heroic among some. It was never advised, by Autobot’s, they always instructed humans to give a Decepticon what they desire—unless it’s something that could kill everyone- exceptions were made here.

Justin put a finger to her lips. “Shhh. Skipping.”

“Alright,” he whispers back, “Take a seat, anywhere.”

Quietly, Veren and Justin move to the back of the class and take a seat beside the other. Justin immediately turns to Veren.

“What was that all about?”

“That freaky robot looked at me like I took his wallet.”

“Or other valuable possession. Why’d you run?”

“I like jogging after breakfast.”

Justin sighed shaking her head. There was little hope for her friend. She ran like she had taken something from the robot and the robot ran after her like she did have something that was rightfully his. But that was crazy. There was nothing humans had that Autobot’s wanted, not even the Decepticon’s desired human means-their equipment was much more sensitive and sophisticated. The only thing they were here for were—

Justin felt shocked. This answer seemed to clear up everything, but if that was true, Veren was just as bad as the kids that smuggled pot into the school grounds. Worse maybe. She couldn’t believe it. But this obvious answer gnawed into her side and mind. She could bear it no longer and took out a pen and paper.

Veren seemed to take interest as her friend wrote something down on paper and looked over eager to see. Her friend slipped her the paper folded with pen. Veren took it and read:

“Do you have a Mini-Con plaque?” Justin called Mini-Con stasis panels Mini-Con plaques. They look like some sort of ornament that meant something, a diploma or an award.

Veren looked up, no smile or shocked expression on her face. She looked normal. She slid the pen and paper away leaning over her desk to her sack-pack. She un-zipped it, slid it over her feet so Justin could see from the other side. She opened it a crack, that was all that was required.

Justin looked over. Her eyes widen when she sees a green glow emitting from the bag. She looked at Veren wide eyed. Justin watched as Veren put a finger to her lip motioning silence. She snatched the pen and paper from the culprit and wrote something out. She slipped the paper back to Veren who immediately opened and read:

“You’re so bad!” an angry face followed.

Veren looked over at Justin. Justin stroked one finger against the other shaking her head “Naughty-naughty-naughty.” Veren wrote on the note this time slipping it back.

Justin opened it and read:

“What was I suppose to do. ‘Here, I had this up at school when it was banned. Let’s keep it between you and I?” Autobot’s are goody-goody.” Justin wrote back:

“Maybe you could have done a James-bomb thing. Slid it to one of them—or better yet! Dropped your sack pack on top of ones head!!!” A happy face followed with a sketch of a cursing Transformer and the two on the overhead balcony giggling.

Veren and Justin had fun material to send back and forth. Fear of this note being confiscated and read was not reality. In ‘celebration’ to the abnormal change in schedule, Dr. Barq gave the students free time. They spent this time, sitting on the tops of desks socializing with whomever they chose. The door left open, once in a while a stray student would wander pass. Skipping living dangerously. Several times the Mini-Con passed, searching, Veren sat with Justin at the back of the room so he could never find them. However, when the Mini-Con stomped by, the two became very tight and quiet. After he would pass, the two would glance at the other and laugh.

By the end of class, the two had filled out five pages of messages, pictures, and humorous out takes. Justin was just taking out the sixth when a name was shouted, then the jarring collision came from somewhere within the building vibrating through their heals up into the spines of the students. It was tremendous which meant something big was happening nearby. Following the vibrating crash came a cry from something inhuman echoing through the halls. The students stood silent staring at the doorway in perplexed to what was going on.

Justin exchanged a glance with Veren. They shared a similar idea, though Veren seemed to have a better gripe of what this was.

“Okay class.” Dr. Barq had stood to command their attention. “I’ll have to ask you to sit down-“ another shudder came, not the same as the first, not as intense. It rocked the walls, a sound similar to when a student struck the wall from the other side, except now it sounded as though the walls would collapse in. Dr. Barq called again, to keep them calm he remained calm. “Sit down, students,” he had a hint of alarm to his voice anyway.

Justin turned surprised when Veren stood up. “VeR?”

“We need to evacuate!”

“Please sit down,“ he sounded tired.

“I recognized that name. It was a Decepticon’s. If we stay, we’ll be caught in the middle of a battle. Do you want to see one close up?” she grinned insanely. He stares at her a moment shocked by the expression.

The intercom responded to the ear-banging clash in the main hall:

“Teachers and staff. A situation has occurred. Teachers, please gather your students in an orderly fashion and proceed to the nearest fire exit for evacuation. That is all.” The voice was very quiet.

“What? No red bus or any of that crap?” another student quipped.

“Okay, come on kids.” Dr. Barq stood to the door at the class waiting for them to gather. “Let’s go,” he led them out.

More classes with students flowed from the doors. They wandered to the mid section of the main hall. Few classes had been left unguarded and the students left on their own or by substitute request.

Upon passing one hall, Veren saw something was going on at the main hall. She pointed it out to her friend. “Would you look at those idiots? Something happens and they have to run over to see. Aren’t we civilized citizens?”

“Yeah. What are they, cattle?” Justin replies, twisting her head towards the hall for a better view.

“Moo,” chimed Veren. She broke from the students rushing to see what held the fascination. Her friend followed with a laugh. The teachers didn’t notice the abandoning, they were positioned away from the route stolen only to wave the kids on the way.

Veren and accomplice came to the end of the hall. They immediately saw what the others were looking down at. The side of the top floor and walkway had crumbled in, concrete twisted inward either stuck by other rock, wax, or steel bars inside the structure. On the floor, where the concrete had snapped under, lay a Transformer.

A section of his back bent upward like crushed wings, he had jet wings lying out to either side from his shoulders, his chest looked like the nose of a jet pressed onto him. His frame was red and silver, dusty from the crash, the roof of the school had a new skylight. His head was turned aside, but his eyes gleam bright just as Veren looked down with Justin.

Veren stumbled backwards shocked. Had he seen her? Would he recognize her clothing? She turned running for her locker. It was not far away and she slid into it across the ground pulling her keys and quickly opening the door. She clamped down on the helmet securing it upon her cranium and turned back.

Veren had never seen a unit of Auto-Deception work, but heard rumors they were well organized and effective. It killed any ideas anyone at Horizon High School associated with the cult, if they had, they would already be giving commands to those standing gawking at the Decepticon.

Starscream was already rising, Veren could tell. Those that hovered around the crater spun and ran, but not Justin. She was right behind Veren when she ran to retrieve her helmet.

“Safety in numbers,” she replied.

Veren had to agree. She tilted her head leaning over to see Starscream rise in the hole in the walkway.

“You!” he snarled with disgust.

Veren forced Justin around. “Run.”

Starscream took aim with one of his rifles at his arm. “I will not let your mate escape me.”

“No you won’t.” Veren took a textbook from her locker and threw it at him, unsure if it would hit.

He blocked it with a casual hand and turned his attention to his target. “The Mini-Con!”

“Come get it!” She spun around running for the side of the walkways rail. She slipped skidding on her knees predicting a shot from Starscream. She ducked it successfully and leapt right back up and over the edge to the floor below. She grabbed the rail letting her hand slip from it slowing her descent, she struck the side of the wall and leapt off that toppling into the main hall underneath the walkway. She hurt her hip when she struck the ground, but stood quickly turning to see what Starscream planned, she hopped backwards keeping distance between him and her.

“Veren!” he snarled in his high-pitched voice as he leaned over to see her run down the low running area of the main hall. It was much to small for a transformer, a car could get through, but Starscream was no car, he wasn’t even compact. He was a full expression of a jet, his body relaxed from its alternate form.

Veren halted. When she looked behind her she noted a number of students still in the halls. This was the whole point of stealing a bike and leaving a city, to escape the masses of humans that would get in her way. While ducking under more fire that fell on her, she ran up the stairs at the end of the hall. Starscream wouldn’t be able to see her from the point of view she was in, and she couldn’t see him, he wouldn’t be able to fire and Veren was then safe to buy some time. She grabbed the rail at the top of the stairs when sudden crashing came. Starscream was tearing the walkway down from where he stood trying to get at Veren. Aside from the pounding, and thundering, of Starscream, the quiet murmurs and shrieks of humans.

“Why do you want my Mini-Con?”

Starscream hovered up with great skill and control, he stepped from the crater in the side of the walkway moving to the same point Veren stood. The concrete and support of the human construction shuddered under his feet, if he moved to quickly leaving support on one mammoth foot to long, the entire thing could crack out from right under him. He could see Veren now, but she still thought he was under the walkway pounding away. “Why should I tell a human?”

Of course he wouldn’t tell her the real reason why the Decepticon’s were so interested in the sudden appearance to this Mini-Con signal. Its signal was a beacon of fresh blood for sharks. Mini-Cons could detect its exact location from over three miles away. Something so unusual was bound to attract someone’s attention. It was a shame that the Autobot’s hadn’t noticed it though. But their Mini-Con’s did.

Veren spotted him when he spoke and backed away slowly. “There are plenty of Mini-Con’s out there, I have just one. Why does every Decepticon suddenly want mine?”

“Because your Mini-Con is attached to you, Auto-Deception.”

“Coa kay.” Veren turned dashing for the smaller hall. Starscream gave a cry and dived for her. He missed striking the ground anyway, but a large crack was placed now under him and shuddering to crumble. He ignored it leaning over to see down the hall where Veren was. She was fast. She made her to the end hall within seven sprints and turned at the junction leading to the next hall. Starscream rolled over to face the other hall, he glanced down just in time to spy Veren pass into the next.

Where is he going? Starscream wondered. He noticed the balcony at the far end of the walkway. Realizing what the mediocre human had planned, he jumped up.

Veren knew sooner or later Starscream would come to the last hall, then there would be no escape.

“Hey?” Justin was in one of the classrooms in the conjunction hall.

Veren was breathless but commanding on the moment. “Stay there, he’ll follow me!” she dashed down the hall fully prepared for him should he be waiting with a grasp to catch her, or crush whichever he felt like today. She skidded from the hall out right under the Decepticon.

He screeched reaching a hand around to grab her firmly, but Veren pulled her favorite move sliding under his gasp. She stumbled to her feet dashing around his left ankle as he fumbled to try and grab her a second time. She ran for the balcony not bothering to slow or attempt to slow her decent to the floor. Instead, she leapt off the rail into open air still going. Starscream was so surprised, he paused to watch if she would actually survive a fall like this.

Veren quickly changed her landing style-from the ground to a collision. There was no Autobot waiting to catch her. A large, thick, brick support beam was placed at the center of the main hall, around it was a bench. Veren was descending for it but going to fast for a clean landing as she had done before. She jerked her sack-pack around to protect it if she should land on her back, which she did. She struck the support beam with her feet cushioning her and fell backwards, the back of her hip hit the bench as she spilt to the ground into a sudden crash due to the helmet and she slid on her back as momentum left her body. She sighed breathing deeply for oxygen from under the muffled helmet, she felt much pain but not important at the moment. She heard something that wasn’t there before.

The barely audible sounds of battle and war waged just outside the front side of the school walls. The school vibrated, and few of the dark, tinted windows were already smashed along with the disintegrating side of the building. Veren considered that there were few out fighting, or else the school would have already been demolished. Megatron would be outside keeping Autobot’s at bay and must have sent Starscream for the Mini-Con.

Veren slowly moved to her feet, she saw no reason to rush as long as the Decepticon’s were not in her way. The sack-pack slipped and she moved it onto her back out of the way. She suddenly realized she made an error in her calculations. Like a small insect witnessing the kill of it’s own brother, she crept to the opposite side of the support beam, she knew it did little good because he already saw her.

“Megatron!” Starscream bellows from the balcony. “That Mini-Con is mine!”

To his lesser warrior, Megatron ignores him and gives his full focus to Veren. He wears an angered glare. He wanted her Mini-Con and no one would get in his way. That was Megatron’s way.

This monarch of Decepticons was grander than any of his generation of Tron’s. He was forged of dark gray metals-dull silver body, placed over his chest, mid section, arms, thighs, feet, helmet. His left hand gnarled and sharp. His eyes, a deep red-orange. His face was a much lighter colored metal. His boxy lower feet held three sharps toes, for stomping cities, humans, buildings, whatever. His armor was set in fashion to be bulky around his upper back, shoulders, arms, his mid section clean, his lower legs little less bulk. Two guns extended from his back where shoulder blades position, another gun on his waist. High on his crown, two horns extended from the upper rim of his head and curved toward the other as though they were about to touch. His helmet was flat atop but grooved around the lower sections extending beside his facial plate, a blade seemed to be fashioned against the rear center of his cranium raising only a bit behind his crown. Dark lines carved into his features marked his to his as leader, unanymous in form to Decepticon. He was a masterpiece of devastation.

He was Megatron.

Veren was working on her way out of this mess. Down the hall she could see many of the students that were standing there were now gone, those braver remained to see the leader of Decepticon’s. Her objective was to try and get away from the school by the backside, away from the war, to find someplace to lose Megatron. But she felt there was now no place to hide. She had become a beacon.

Decepticon and human both looked off when a flash came. It was a harmless flash from three kids, one with a small camera. They stood at the end of the main hall protected by the low hang of the roof.

Megatron immediately turns firing on them. They duck covering their heads, one projectile passed over their heads striking the water cooler behind them. Water went everywhere with a koosh sound.

With Panic Veren turns to the wraith making Decepticon. “Megatron, look!” He did, easing his fire on the bystanders. Veren now held the Mini-Con plate up like a tantalizing treat, she backed away slowly tempting Megatron to follow her.

He did.

Slowly, not to spook Veren into flight, Megatron stepped forward following the glow of the hibernating android. He savored the sight of the new Mini-Con assuring himself soon it would be his and his pleasure to crush Veren.

The sight was a strange one. The small human Veren leading the enormous Megatron by the back wall, dividing the main hall from the lunchroom. She stepped carefully down the steps making sure never to remove her eyes from Megatron’s hand-which held a small Mini-Con in the shape of a sleek twin barrel gun for the moment. She hoped Megatron’s patience held out, or else he would be within good stride to catch her. However, she kept her pace and that seemed to keep him content.

Veren caught the slight twitch in his ankle when his large foot slipped on the slick steps. She wasted no time, she spun around zigzagging.

Megatron snarled lifting his gun and fired. His aim was precise, the only reason why he didn’t annihilate the humans that took a picture of him-was due to the small fact he didn’t care to. Veren ran for the doors and he planned to cripple her. But he found it easier to just shoot than aim, for this particular human. His aim was splint second, by far faster than one could blink, however, Veren seemed to know when he was about to fire and dodged with no second to spare.

Veren leapt onto accumulated chairs and fell over as a shot hit the wall high over head. How one had made its way up there, Veren would never understand. She sprawled over jumping into the door. Megatron’s thundering footsteps shook the floor, but she was outside in a flash and again running. But where to? Where were the Autobot’s? She cringed to the ground turning back to the school when Megatron collided with it. It crumbled outward and soon the mighty Decepticon’s form would take shape. As though no danger were near, Veren took the plate and pressed her hand upon it. Nothing happened.

Many times humans claimed a Mini-Con could be reactivated by the touch of the one holding them. Like being ID through fingerprint, or palm. But this Mini-Con seemed to not want reviving. Putting on the snooze, it kept on glowing.

With that satisfied, she slipped the Mini-Con plate into her open pack and took off for the parking lot. Cars were there, not many after evacuation-it didn’t matter, there was no place to hide. She knew Megatron was taking aim on her, she was running straight and the sound of crushing building had ceased. She knew, when he fired, he would not miss. Her only hope was a car within sight, near the grassy stretch of the football field. She jumped right onto it clambering over the outer window to the other side, as the shot Megatron fired blew the windows out of the vehicle with a single BLOOM. She panted trying to get control of her breath leaning back against the car.

It was like a nightmare. She had the Mini-Con the Autobot’s had been searching for. Where were they now? Had they given up and left? Did they just decide to leave? If one believed she was in need of immediate aid, they were wrong. She was worried someone would get hurt, most likely killed. She cared little for her own life. Soon she understood the meaning of the Autobot’s disappearance. From the other side of the school the sound of battle came. They were somewhere else fighting. She felt at ease with this just making herself comfortable.

When the car was pulled from Veren’s back, she turned looking up at Megatron.

“The Mini-Con,” he held his hand out wanting the plate. It was false though. When Veren jumped up and ran, his hand lashed out grabbing her sack-pack between his thumb and forefinger. Had he reached farther he would have snapped the human in half. Veren was not without fight though. To Megatron’s surprise, she spun around on herself still tethered, she ripped the one crippled strap of the sack tearing the entire thing open when she wrenched herself from his grasp.

The Mini-Con plate struck the ground falling face up. Megatron reached for it first, but Veren was much quicker.

“Mine!” she somersalted backwards holding the plate dear to her. Megatron stepped on the remains of her papers and sack-pack as he lunged for her, but didn’t make it.

Veren hit the curb of the road and flopped onto the dry grass of the football field. She stared exhausted as Megatron took up his new fight with the leader of Autobot’s. A giant red, blue warrior with white chest, the yellow optics flare at the sight of his enemy. It was easy to identify the fore portion of a big rig forming the most part of his chest and the black tires that decorated his high back and lower legs. He appeared not so more formidable as the evil Decepticon but had a basic design of push more when it came down to it all.

“Get out of here! I’ll hold him back!” Optimus Prime commanded.

Veren ignored his immediate response. “Where have you been?” she demands.

“That’s not important now!” he grabbed Megatron pulling him down into the parking lot crushing the sides of normal human vehicles under themselves as the combat intensified.

Megatron grunted holding Prime at bay. “Finally, an Autobot worth fighting-“ he shoved Prime aside with a cracking blow to ear. “For today,” he stood eyeing Veren where she stood.

Veren wasn’t looking at him. She stared beyond Megatron uncaring that he swerved his main weapon around on his side. Veren pointed trying to come up with something to say. “HIM!” she jumped out of the way as purple fire scorched the brown grass.

Megatron reeled around. He was mad now, “STARSCREAM!”

“I was aiming for the human! You blew my cover!” a dead lie. Any chance Starscream saw fit, he tried an attack on Megatron. This one was very sloppy and he hoped his leader would soon forget it as the Autobot seized him yet again. The warm upper currents only built up his speed in his home, the sky. The lighter metal apart of his body shuddered as he banked turning sharply. This time he would go for Veren. His body splint, pulling out, turning, shifting, reconfiguring. He came down gracefully landing right in front of the human stamping a foot. “The Mini-Con!”

“Dude! Did you not just see your boss trying to get it from me? What makes you think I would just give it to you?”

“Because you won’t get a chance to run.” He reached high over his shoulder grinding forth a silver blade from his armor casing. “Either I’ll butcher you or I’ll get a Mini-Con.” Veren about to move, he adds, “And if you even try one step, I’ll end your life now.”

She tilts her helmet. “You know, for the longest time you guys wanted me to point out the Mini-Con before you smashed me so you could get it. Now that I’m here, with the Mini-Con, you guys keep asking for it and I keep denying it. My question: Why don’t you just kill me and take it?”

Starscream looks very sheepish. Why had they been putting themselves to so much trouble? Though now he had something to enjoy for the remaining of the day. “Good point, human,” he brings his sword down. She leaps over the blade as it sunk into the grass and sand. Barely touching it, the thing vaporized the corner of her shirt.

Optimus struggled with all his might against Megatron, especially after, seeing the human attacked by a Decepticon. He hated any form of life being destroyed and he didn’t want this human to have his life end so early, and so close to helping the human made him burn to stop Megatron. “Preceptor! I’m in need of assistance in the parking lot behind the school,” he breaks from Megatron’s grip standing back, cars that have been upturned or crush lay around the area.

Megatron looks as though he’s enjoying himself, arrogant and ready to claim another Mini-Con, only Optimus stood in his way. “You want the Mini-Con?” he asks.

“The Mini-Con’s belong to the Autobot’s! The Decepticon’s will just abuse their power!”

“Come then,” he holds up a hand challenging Prime’s authority. But when the Autobot lunged forward, Megatron twists shooting aside.

4
The force of the plasma shot impacting caused Veren to topple backwards unharmed but taken by the power. She stood again wrapping the plate with both arms. Before her Preceptor kneeled hurt, the sides of his armor scorched with wires popping sparks.

Megatron, seeing the damage he caused growls. “Fine, we’re sending Mini-Con’s about,” he drops his gun, which forms his own altered Mini-Con, Leader-one. “Go get him!” he turns back to Prime when he plows into him, he push’s him back forcing his heels across the concrete and tearing the surface upward. Two bulls, fighting, in a china shop.

“Sparkplug! Don’t let him near the human!”

Sparkplug snaps off the back of Optimus’ shoulder and lands lightly. He jumps back to avoid getting stepped on by his own friend, but quickly takes off on his mission.

Leader-one abides to his masters command. He immediately spots the human, it wasn’t difficult not to when he carried such a bright glow. Megatron could afford to send him after a human giving the Decepticon Mini-Con some time to shine. He was always over shadowed and discriminated against other Decepticon’s. He dashed after Veren finally getting the chance he deserved to deck such an annoying human. But to his surprise, when he ran at Veren, he did not flee like so many had done in his presence. In fact, he seemed to perk when he spotted Leader-one heading right for him. He didn’t know how to react when he saw a human fly right at him with intention to do harm, it had never happened before. But Veren loved to change the rules.

She held Leader-one down as he grabbed her shoulders to throw her off. “You want human, I’ll give you human!” she strikes him over the head with the Mini-Con plate she carried. “Wake up!”

Starscream had trouble keeping him self from out right laughing. Even he suspected this human would not run from a Mini-Con, they were not a terrifying being. In fact, many humans were entertained by them and calling the robots ‘cute’. But after witnessing Veren’s attack and command, it was one of those unexpected events that caught you so off guard you wanted to laugh. He decided to wait and see what else the human would do before Leader-one got a grip of himself.

Sparkplug decided to help one in more need seeing as Veren had things under control. In his own language he asked if Preceptor was all right.

A cry came from Veren when Leader-one put his foot to her stomach and gave her a kick off him. He turned to her charging a particle gun imbedded in his chest and two other cannons attached to his arms. Sparkplug gave him a swift kick before he could hurt the human as he recovered.

Instead of trying to stand, Veren lay on her side watching Optimus and Megatron as they fought viciously. She had forgotten about Starscream and didn’t really care at the moment. What she did care about was the Mini-Con plate. Where had that gone? She looked around for it. She spotted it near the area she flew over when Leader-one kicked her. She rolled over stood up and ran over to it, running this time felt like the most normal event of the entire day. She kneels to pick it up, but draws back startled. The fire was red, but that was wrong. She turned her head to discover what was wrong.

Her eyes widen in surprise when she finds Megatron holding Optimus down.

Megatron held an axe blade to Optimus’ throat, the mauve blade pulsated with energy thirsty for Autobot blood. He held the weapon along his inner arm and shoulder keeping the blade pressed to Optimus’ throat, the faintest twitch would sever his head and send it rolling. A deadly grip Megatron had maneuvered Prime into. With his other hand, he held Prime’s thick blue arm up, its fists course on Veren. Whenever he crushed his wrist it triggered an impulse in the Autobot’s arm like a trigger on a gun. The entire thing had Megatron glowing, Optimus didn’t know what to do. Suffer his death or the death of a human, what options.

Starscream maintained a position near Megatron annoyed. His arms crossed, he watched Veren with more boredom than she had ever seen, considering the circumstances Optimus was in. He had been instructed-by the Decepticon leader-to stand back, and he did. You don’t typically piss Megatron off when he’s on a roll.

“Run!” Prime groaned.

She shrugs quipping, “To where?”

Optimus didn’t understand why he had seen this human time before. Typically, it was a glimpse of him riding some kind of fast device, or on foot. He seemed very illusive. But it always seemed his attitude was the same. He was exuberant, even when Megatron had his foot on him, quipping and calling smart remarks. Once in a while, in fact, something he did or said, even made Megatron laugh. Optimus declared Veren a hazard, but he was the oldest Auto-Deception he had seen yet. With the blade of a energon axe to his throat, Megatron holding his life on his shoulder, and Starscream’s day ruined. How could the day get any worse?

“This is the last time, the Mini-Con or his life.” Megatron clinches his gnarled left hand.

Here we go, Optimus thought.

Veren turns her back to him keeping herself cool headed. “What makes you think I care about him?”

“You sure?” Megatron carefully maneuvers the blade so is lightly sliced the edge of a servo joint on Optimus’ neck. He winces in pain calling an alarmed groan.

This didn’t seem to get Veren’s attention, however, from the helmet’s eye socket she stole a glance of Optimus and grit her teeth. Leader-one dashed back up to grab her but Megatron fired multiple shots manipulating Optimus into doing so. It scared Leader-one off, and Veren wished she could follow him. Instead, she lowered herself to the ground next to the plate shielding it as the grass was scorched, torn into molecules. One did singe her arm after darting just over it. She grabbed the wound as blood poured from the spoil. The missile had not been near expressing the power behind the Decepticons aresinal. This was the first time Veren had been wounded, and she did her best to ignore it.

Optimus could not, however. This had done it. He grabbed the blade near his neck and struggled with Megatron to remove it. It cut the joints and servos in his knuckles, but he had to remove this from him, before further lives were hurt. “Megatron!” he grunted. “I won’t let you do this!”

“You don’t have that liberty!” he jerked to pull the blade up, but Preceptor rushed in to the rescue. “Nuisance!” Megatron struck him away. Upon hitting the grass near Veren, the Mini-Con shattered into a wounded High Wire, Sureshock, and Grindor. “Starscream, the Mini-Con’s-“ Megatron broke off as Optimus slugged him.

Starscream made his way over to Veren. “Since you made this day so interesting, I may spare you provided you give me those Mini-Con’s.”

“Forget it!” Megatron already shoved Starscream aside as he stalked up to them. “I will take those Mini-Con’s and human!” he reached over to grasp them.

Optimus stood, winded, but fine. “Run!” he snarled with irritation.

Veren put her bloody hand upon the plate to lift it but stopped. It felt strange then, something had changed. “Now what?” she turned to it as it beamed with light, a fire had been fed fuel.

Megatron hesitated with a disgusted look over his brow, “What…is this?” he stepped back sensing something foreign.

The Mini-Con’s had the same idea as they stepped away. They gave alarmed sounds, quieting, then, speaking up again—a warning.

Veren remained staring stuck.

The plate disappeared and hovering just above it was a raptor like creature, bathed in its emerald color. When the light show died, so did its levitation. It came down upon sturdy feet sounding solid, its entire body a deep oily black. He raised his thick snout taking survey. He was spiked with hair or feathers upon his head, his ears were long like some kind of wolves, he seemed regal. His construction appeared more solid than a raptor though, with shielding pecks for chest plating. On his lower arm, bright red bands came from just under his arm joint down to near his wrist, they were some form of decoration. His deep, blood, red eyes gleam beneath his horned brow with a ‘warming’ VWOOH. He turned his head looking at the Mini-Con’s.

They hesitated chattering in various soft tones.

Veren remained silent. Never before had she seen a Mini-Con like this, she was unsure if this even was a Mini-Con. Had she been duped?

The Mini-Con turned his head up to see Prime and Megatron.

The Decepticon leader seemed struck. Something about the Mini-Con held him fast and he couldn’t seem to utter but a single word. “Impossible…”

“No, it can’t be…” Optimus mumbled aloud, “he…was destroyed… a long time ago.”

The Mini-Con turned to look over at Veren.

“Hi?”

He brought his head aback, ostensibly puzzled uttering a, “Maro?”

Optimus cried out in alarm to the human. “Get away from him! Move! RUN!” He gestured wildly with one arm.

“Silence, Prime!” Megatron smirked, “Finally, after so many eras, he has awakened.”

“What? What is that?” Starscream shrieked paranoid that everyone but him seemed to know what was going on. He had never seen the Mini-Con either. But the other Mini-Con’s did. They slowly backed away from this new, big Mini-Con. He stood a full six feet on gnarled clawed feet.

“That’s a Mini-Con that should never have been forged,” Optimus replied coldly to Starscream’s question.

The veteran Decepticon was impressed. Optimus would never wish bad of any being, wherever they may come from—unless truly evil. He wondered what this Mini-Con had done in the past to leave such a foul image on Prime. He knew Megatron would want it then, certainly.

High Wire dashed up to grab Veren. “Wait!” He halted just by her. After a pause, they turned to see the Mini-Con.

The Mini-Con stood stern, he slowly turned to the two as his red eyes blazed. His throat gurgled a growl of hate. He narrowed his eyes toward High Wire.

High Wire suddenly found himself paralyzed, unable to move as a sheet of red light appeared over his head. It moved up and down then vanished.

“Ahh, good.” Megatron chuckled content by the actions of the evil Mini-Con. He watched as the Mini-Con scanned Sparkplug-the Mini-Con refused to struggle; he turned scanning Optimus—not surprising. The Mini-Con wasn’t finished, much to Megatron’s amusement; Starscream struggle as he was scanned-even after the scan he cried insults demanding to know what was going on. The leader of Decepticon’s was not shocked nor did he struggle when he himself was scanned. He relaxed. It wasn’t painful, but it felt as though something went into your body, traveled around a bit, took something and left. But nothing ever seemed missing. Maybe it was the thought of an intruder in ones system. The entire event was always described by those as….‘disturbing’.

Finally, the Mini-Con turned to Veren. His eyes gleamed red. Veren hesitated, but a sheet of red light appeared above her head.

Megatron looked on in shock, “Wh-what are you doing? That’s a worthless human!”

Regardless of Megatron’s disagreement, the Mini-Con finished scanning Veren. He turned facing away as though concentrating on something inside his mind, low computer sound’s came from his body. The Autobot, Decepticon, especially Mini-Con’s watched him carefully, prepared for what would come next.

He lifted his head signaling his deliberation was complete, then jumped up levitating in place. The bands on his arms gleamed bright in unison to his eyes as a dark red light enveloped his entire body obscuring the others sight of him. Veren being so close had to shield her eyes, even with her helmet on.

When the light died moderatly, the Mini-Con had his chin pressed to his chest. His entire body was curled up, tail wrapped around him. He had changed though. The raptor now had fixed plates of armor compressed into his back, a translucent portion on either side. Two blades extended as stiff wings, higher on the center of his back was curved piece under his quills. The light died entirely allowing him to drift to the ground standing sturdy on earth. His new body color was a dark gray, like Megatron’s; his eyes were now yellow, like Optimus’; those stolen features not visual right at the current time would later surface.

“Excellent, you’ve awakened and evolved. Now I command you, fight the Autobot!”

The Mini-Con was silent as though no one had spoken. He was focused elsewhere.

Megatron snarled. He didn’t like giving orders twice, and he absolutely hated any being that ignored his orders. “Did you hear me? I said destroy him!”

Instead, the raptor turned to Veren, walked up to her, and lashed out with the claws on his hand through her sour wound.

“OW!” she growled. “That hurt!” As soon as she looked up again, she found herself jumping backwards. The Mini-Con opened its mouth wide snarling at her, he followed the retreat.

“What are you doing? I said destroy Optimus Prime, not that worthless human!”

The Mini-Con ignored Megatron with great grace. He instead generated a gargled click from his throat and rammed Veren in the stomach sending her onto her back coughing.

“Mini-Con! I did not order you to attack the human! The Autobot-“

“Forget it Megatron.” He turns to Optimus. “That Mini-Con follows no ones command.”

To show he had control, Megatron raised his cannon in Optimus direction. “Don’t get your hopes up yet, Prime. I can destroy you now, if I so desired.”

The Autobot leader looked around hopelessly. His men were on the other side of the school, unaware of his danger fighting Decepticon forces trying to protect the school and those still inside. He stops when he turns back seeing the Mini-Con going after Veren. “What on Cybertron-“

“Eh?” Megatron looked as well. He saw that the Mini-Con made short charges trying to grab Veren, she evaded them.

“Hey! Try to get away from that Mini-Con!” Optimus called, aware that even if the human tried to get away, Megatron would intercept. But he had to give it a try, maybe he would distract Megatron long enough to attack.

Starscream turned to Megatron asking plainly, “Are you going to do something, before the Mini-Con escapes?”

“Escape? Escape to where? He has no place to go.” Megatron crossed his arms confident and now content to watch a Mini-Con tear a human to shreds.

The Mini-Con paused after charging Veren again. He turns his head to look at her as she backs away. High Wire made movement to grab the lethal raptor, but he glared coldly at the small lightweight. High Wire backed down. He turns back to Veren and leaps. Veren evades, but the agile raptor turns to further charge. Veren crouches to the ground to jump away again, her hand finds a rock in the soil where Starscream brought his sword down. When the Mini-Con turns to Veren snarling, she drives the rock into the side of his cheek. The raptor Mini-Con howled out cradling his skull. As Veren steps aback, he glares at her with cold evil intent.

It suddenly came to Veren, there, the obvious truth behind the Mini-Con, the reason of his relentless attacking. Once of twice she tried to block this common knowledge from her mind but it kept coming back and she realized what it meant. She felt sympathy for this deadly looking Mini-Con and he saw it.

He would not have that.

The Mini-Con leapt for Veren again. She rolled under him as he landed and spun around leaping up and wraps her arms around his neck taking a secure grip for what would surely come. The raptor made a high pitched alarmed scream shaking his head. He tried to grab her, but he couldn’t get the grip he needed.

“I know you’re scared!” Veren cried over his howling for him to hear. “But it’s okay.” The Mini-Con rolled on the ground forcing the air from Veren’s lungs, he was heavy though not as heavy as she expected. The Mini-Con stands again and continues thrashing as her words seem nothing more than wind. “I wanna help you.” To keep herself from flying off in such a delicate situation, she wrapped her ankles around the base of his tail. “I wanna protect you-“ Something stuck to her mind at that moment. She decided to speak her mind since it was such a terrible thought. “You don’t have to be alone anymore, I’ll stand by you.”

The Mini-Con seemed struck, paralyzed. He halted with his head turned up in agape, a fish without water; his bright yellow eyes wide. His lower jaw quivered and Veren realized she had spoken something painful.

“I’m sorry I hurt you.” She slipped her feet to the ground while the robotic raptor was paralyzed and twisted his neck forcing him onto his side. Veren held him down. The fall seemed to knock him out of paralysis for he bit Veren’s arm hard. “Ow!” she didn’t let the Mini-Con up though.

During the sparing, Megatron took careful aim. “This is all pointless. I will take my Mini-Con and leave,” he aimed carefully so this time Veren would not dodge. Optimus called out a warning, but too late.

Veren winced when she heard the laser fire, but instead of feeling her back singed, she felt something tap her shoulder hard. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes to see what struck her right. She hadn’t felt the Mini-Con slip from her grip, he had curved himself up from under Veren to block Megatron’s potshot with his hide.

The Mini-Con turned his body to glare at Megatron, his upper snout quivered as a growl rumbled deep in his throat. He slipped out from under Veren to face his entire body to Megatron, a six-foot nightmare. Veren sat on the ground staring, unsure how to take all of this. She could see the other Transformers were just as confused-but Megatron.

This only flared the Mini-Con’s hate for him opening his mouth and snarling dryly. He seemed, to Veren, to hold some old, ancient, secret, grudge to Megatron. The very sight of the two seemed so familiar. Like the enemies feud went farther back than Megatron and Prime, which was absurd to think.

“Megatron,” Starscream cooed, “I do not think that Mini-Con would have ever followed your commands.” Then added mumbling, “I’m not sure why I do, either.” Megatron didn’t catch this, he was to raged by the Mini-Con.

The Mini-Con lowered his head backing away to stand behind Veren’s left.

Veren checked the Mini-Con. “Are you alright?”

The Mini-Con turned his head on its side to look at her, he held a pleased look on his face. Veren noted difference of some sort of the armor across his chest-it seemed translucent at a point. He stared trying to make sense of this bizarre Mini-Con. Then he did something that would forever surprise Veren. Lines appeared in smooth curves on the raptor Mini-Con’s chest. His body-chest area seemed to splint open and expand, from his chest down his abdomen with only dark shadows at its pit null, though tentacles rose from the darkest center to lash out wrapping around Veren’s body. They snared her chest, mid waist, and around her legs folding them up.

“Wha—“ she was dragged into his body, but instead of feeling the metal casing she moved through that, into the body and through the Mini-Con’s soul. Like she and the Mini-Con were being absorbed together. She didn’t realize this until later. She felt nothing.

Optimus verbalized a sound but it was too late, he could do nothing.

* * *
Veren didn’t know what was happening, where she was or where she was last. Everything was a blur of bright lights converging to one area. She felt she knew, the answer was very near, right in front of her, but she could not seem to grasp it. Her eyes were closed, she knew this, but some mental hand kept her from opening her own eyes. She felt himself reviewing her entire life, from memory. It flashed slowly in front of her closed eyes, but went to fast to see. Why was she remembering her life? But something was there, something was watching. Something took interest in her life. Veren felt this unfair. As if to redeem for evil, she began viewing the life of another. Images flashed, too fast for Veren to follow, though she felt each image was being stuck into her own mind—becoming one with her memory. Something wanted her to know. Was preparing her for something unsound, but not totally gone. Was this normal behavior of a Mini-Con? A mental voice seemed to call out to her. It sounded pleading.

“I called to you-“

-and I answered. She spoke mentally unsure if it heard.

The voice sounded deep, consoling—curious. “You’re a strange human…”

How so? She seemed to be searching for something, even without her sight. Though, there was still the comforting sight of the conjugating lights visible.

“You and I. We seem to be one in the same.”

What is this? Tell me?

“Not for you to know yet. It will be clearer as you learn.”

She felt she knew exactly what it was speaking of, but didn’t how to get to the answer from where she was. She felt the same confusion from this being, he seemed as equally puzzled by her presence. They knew nothing of the other, yet they spoke in familiarity.

“A question, if I may be so bold to ask?”

Veren hesitantly relied, for she was at his mercy. Go ahead.

Silence followed and she wondered if something was wrong. “What?”

What?

“What is it that you desire of your life, that you would want to sacrifice yours to me? You’re fate is written, outright here, I can see your destiny. I see the destiny of I; my brothers; your race; the race of others; many others. Why do you not fight so to protect yourself, if you know you will one day die and be forgotten, you hasten this; what is it you seek so passionately to give your life for?”

Veren couldn’t reply. She had said this, promised this being. Why? She sighs from her physical being. What do I desire? She felt something in her heart, yearning. All she had lost once came to her as an answer. I desire to seek forth, to something of great importance—not to the world, not to Optimus Prime, or to Megatro. What I seek cannot be found by another.

Silence. Then he asks, “What is this? This thing that I cannot hold?”

Veren hurt herself to speak. I yearn to protect them.

The being was silent, as if this was not what it wanted to hear. But sighed as though gratified and at the same time unsatisfied by this answer. “To…understand…”

Veren felt herself falling backwards, unable to stop. The memories she had viewed of the other, as well as his own, fell after her and vanished. She became frightened that she would die or worse forget. Everything went black.

* * *

Veren opened her eyes, the raptornoid Mini-Con’s head folded back lying his head against his own back in the form of armor or decoration. Veren stood six-feet, on powerful legs—raptor legs. Her body was not her own, she was in the body of the Mini-Con, it was some form of suit made from his body. All that she could feel that was her self was her head covered by the protective bike helmet. She felt the movement, it was her own, she made the body move to her will. But something else was there, in her consciousness. She was not all her self, another was with her, not necessarily in the body, but in her mind. This was all too confusing for her and she swayed.

“Are you alright?” Optimus called alarmed as soon as she had been taken by the Mini-Con.

She shook her head standing straight, “Yes. I believe this to be so.” Even though she assured him no harm was to her being, it seemed the Autobot was still anxious about something she was blind to.

“Prime! This is all your fault!” Megatron barked pointing a finger, “If you had stayed out of this-“

“My fault?” he cried. “You kept trying to kill this human…”

Megatron and Optimus argument, focused solely on the other. Starscream was left out, in his own thought. He noticed that Veren was leaning as if still suffering bad side effects. It was inevitable, he thought, that Megatron and Optimus should start fighting again.

“Silence!” Veren shouted above the two titans. It seemed she had gotten control of her illness and was ready to protest now against them. The two did quiet and turn to her. She waves an armored arm as if clearing her sight responding, “As long as we are here, no Mini-Con shall be abused! No more Mini-Cons will fall under the Decepticon’s control so long as I am present, I promise!” She clinches a sleek clawed fist summarizing the statement. “This Mini-Con is mine now!”

Megatron roared at this statement, “Humans do not use Mini-Con’s! Especially dead humans!” He fires a powerful blast directly at Veren.

She swats that away moving under it and lunges at Megatron. The Mini-Con was powerful. She could feel it. His power was hers to use and it was overwhelming. She knew it could take Megatron by the look on his face when she leaped twenty-feet into the air. She dug the raptors hind and rear claws into Megatron’s chest, the force of impact sent him onto his back churning the concrete up like thick butter. “Merry-go-round,” Veren snarled before leaping back for another bout. Starscream’s fire danced around her. It didn’t burn this time, didn’t even bother her. She took up running by him having to lean forward taking the weight of the huge raptor tail up.

Megatron sat up, much of the armor covering his chest had been ripped through, but he remained intact, nothing damaged. His eyes glared at Veren as he stood. “That human will die today!”

For the sake of the human over the Mini-Con, Optimus would have to find some safe way to remove the evil being. But first he must deal with the evil Decepticon. Prime grabs him from behind wrapping his powerful arms around the Decepticon’s mid section. “Give it up Megatron, we both lost!”

“I don’t lose!” he gives Optimus a good hit over the head with his fists bunched up and he slumps to the ground.

Veren felt it for a moment, when Megatron struck Optimus in his time of a good deed, this Mini-Con held some connection to the Autobot leader. Prime recognized the Mini-Con and the Mini-Con recognized him, and attacked. Veren resounded to the Mini-Con’s echo thought; rearing around ignoring Starscream. Her feet left the ground as a space on his back opened-under armor that appeared to be a bike seat-a slender object jutted up rearing its tip backwards and blue flames shot from the tip at a sharp point. This small instrument propelled Veren forward as the blade wings on her back flattened out. A quick flash and thunderous crack of shattered air roared, though no clouds were present.

Starscream was always amazed at how the blink of an eye could make a difference. Here he had turned his head for only a second to follow Veren’s movement inside the Mini-Con suit, and she vanished in a blur. Then the ear splitting thunder with the cracle and crack of metal collapsing came, followed by Megatron’s groan as he fell onto his side. Starscream studied a mess of caterpillar track upon the ground mauled from no attack and horribly disfigured from what it was a second before. He turned his head further to find the human standing on the opposite side of Megatron his broken shoulder lay, poised ready for another bout. He estimated that the chances of stealing this Mini-Con were too high to consider.

“Megatron! You worthless fool!” with that insult, Starscream faded from sight.

“Grrr…” he groaned moving to his feet, his side slouched hurt and he had to hold his arm to keep it from crumbling away. He glared at Veren. “You think you may have won one for the Autobot’s, but mark my words that Mini-Con will belong to me—as all will,” he vanished the same way Starscream did, no trace left but the mess of his wound splatter and foot prints.

Veren felt unafraid. It was strange. Normally after Megatron gave her a threat, she would tremble like any other human that valued their life. She did not, right now. It was because the Mini-Con whose body she had become a host to. He was not afraid of Megatron. She could not detect one moment in his life that he had ever been, though there was some sense of dread. She looked over at Optimus as he began to recover.

Prime lifted himself on his arms touching his head. The side of his helmet held a bad dent, a backwards bump. He would consider Red Alert’s help after he returned. When he stood, strong and proud, the Mini-Con’s ran up to see if he was all right. “I’m fine my friends. Thank you for your help, but-“ he remembered the human and deadly Mini-Con. He turned his head up.

To his relief, they stood there.

In the bright sunlight and brown grass gave the Mini-Con’s armor a gold color that glowed. He rested much of his weight on his left side and looked very relaxed. The human, on the other hand, kept her head erect- watching Prime carefully. The green eyes held a taxed look, as though the entire event had been a walk through the park.

Optimus raised his voice to speak, but something was wrong. The Mini-Con body pivoted and ran, but the human’s head rolled forward. He watched as the Mini-Con quickly escaped, spun his normal head around placing the thick neck and heavy snout over the humans. Prime gave a sigh of dread.

Two hours after clean up crews arrived to begin rebuilding the school, board members came to examine the premises for the time reconstruction is to take place. The joyous students that had remained at the school during the attack watched the principal as he spoke from a podium. Of course as always with Decepticon attacks hitting public schools the students would be separated and distributed among other high schools in their state to fulfill their academic requirements. Times for them were turning harsh if they hadn’t been before. Loved ones would be separated, boyfriend and girlfriend would rely on long distance relationships and childhood friends might not see each other until after graduation, just before they left for college. However, the Omnicons and Contructibots leading the restoration would have the school completed in less than five months, and so by next year the students would be back together in school and together again.
Optimus would have stayed with the principal and made comments to the teenagers that asked, but he was pulled aside by Hot Shot. The red Autobot walked with the yellow Autobot around the school to take one last survey of the damage and make approproate notes into databnks of the Decepticons strategy.
“What was the deal with the noise, you could register it five miles away? It sounded like someone broke the sound barrier—was that Starscream?” He knew Starscream was fast but only one Decepticon was able to exceed sound itself.

“I’m afraid not.” His tone was low in stress.

Hot Shot shrugs wanting more than a no. “What’s so bad about this Mini-Con? It can’t be stronger than the others we’ve come across.”

“I’m more worried about the human associated with this Mini-Con.” Prime wanted to say the name he suspected, but didn’t want to alarm his warrior until the time was called for it. “I do not know what it is capable of, but all Transformers that have set eyes on him have perished.”

“All but you and Megatron?”

Optimus stops walking to face his young warrior. “Megatron desires that him greatly, that is reason enough to keep him from claiming it.”

Hot Shot nodded. “I’ll keep my sensors wary,” he bids Optimus a goodbye and walks away to see about his own business.

Optimus speaks softly to himself when Hot Shot is gone. “I just hope I’m mistaken.”

Meanwhile, inside the crumbling school, Justin had been hiding under the staircase when Starscream left to fire on Megatron. She peers out wondering if the battle was over, and if her friend had been killed. A metal raptor head with spiky feathers on his head pops his head down from over the staircase frame looking at her. She yelled and fell backwards.

“Did you find her?” another voice yelled.

Justin recognized Veren’s. She called keeping her eyes on the Mini-Con. “Veren!”

“Yeah!” she ran around and jumped over the last bit of railing and walked right up to her. “Are you okay?” Justin kept her eyes on the Mini-Con. “Sonic Boom, get down from there,” she scolds grabbing the rim under his jaw. He spun around and leapt down standing with his thick head over Veren’s shoulder.

“What…is that?” she growled.

“This?” She pats the Mini-Con’s chest, like a new bike. “This is Sonic Boom.”

“Rah,” he muttered nodding.

“Sonic Boom?”

“You heard that wicked thunder and stuff?” Justin nods. “That was I!”

“You?”

She nods her helmet up and down. “Us.”

Justin moved to stand and looked across at her friend. “You… what?”

Veren hesitated. She looked at Sonic Boom seeming to consider, then turned back to Justin. “We went—KER—SNAP! Mach 2!”

“You’re kidding me,” she wasn’t convinced and crossed her arms. “If you did go that fast without…some sort of buffer, you’d be…like…so dead.”

“Okay.” Veren showed her palms up in a smug shrug. “I did break the sound barrier…but…I died afterwards. Now I have this migraine,” she rubs her helmet. Sonic Boom made a cooing noise, as if sorry to have hurt her.

“And what’s that supposed to be?”

“Boom?”

“Yeah,” she points to him. “What is that, some kind of Transformer?” she didn’t know what to make of the raptor with spikes and what seemed to be a horn or crest on its forehead.

“He came from a Mini-Con plate.” Veren turned to look Sonic Boom over carefully, seriously studying him from feet to ear tip.

“Hrm,” his voice was deep.

“But I’m not sure. No one has ever seen a Mini-Con like this, and I’ve never seen a Transformer like this.”

“Maybe it’s his alternate form?”

Veren leaned over to Sonic Boom. “Is this your other form? Or is this really you?” Sonic Boom tilted his head away from her like bird ready to peck an intruder. He mutters something in half low growls and turns his side to them lifting his arm. Veren examines the piece of metal here carefully. “Oh, I see,” she stands straight again. “You’re some kind of raptor-bird thing?”

Justin gasped surprised. It was not like Veren to run away from home. She went from foster home to foster home but never ran away she just did things that made them give her up. She had only known her for two years, and now she wanted to leave? “Why?”

She pulls her helmet up part way showing her face. Her nose had dry blood under it-from some injury in her fight-and she was smiling. “Sonic Boom here promised me an adventure, and I’m itchin to go with him.” The Mini-Con nodded with a hiss from his motor. “Besides, we couldn’t stay if we wanted. The Decepticon’s will one day find us, and I don’t want anyone else put into harms away.”

“That was so beautiful,” she pretends to wipe a tear away.

“Thank you.”

“Are you leaving now?”

Veren glances at Sonic Boom. “I guess. Nothing is stopping us.” He murmured something for attention. “Actually, I’m kinda scared to be leaving. We’re not going by my house, we’re just going to take off while everything is busy with…whatever,” she nods uncomfortably. “Yeah. We’re just…shoom,” she motions a straight path.

Sonic Boom opened his mouth wide hissing dryly. “Ahhh.”

“Alright then, let’s get out of here,” she bows to Justin and the Mini-Con follows the motion with the same friendship and respect Veren held. “I hope to cross paths with you in the future.”

“Mah roo roo.”

Justin returns Veren’s bow. “I’ll be sure to collect all your school work and mail it to you.”

Veren laughed as she slips her helmet back on. “Tell the others I… died.”

“Right. Won’t be hard for them to believe.” Justin waves to her friend as she walks down the hall. Of course she wasn’t going to follow her. What if a Decepticon surprises them and grabs her? She didn’t want to get involved. But she hoped with all her heart that Veren would be all right. Justin knew she could never see Veren again. A moment of her time was spent to wander of what sort of adventure Veren would on with her Sonic Boom at her side. What sort of challenges they would see, what would become of them? All she could do was hope her friend would stay safe.

5
Down the long extent of a highway from somewhere in the world, Veren and Sonic Boom traveled away from the second city they had gone through. Since the attack on her school five nights passed, with this sunset it would be they’re fifth day—if she survived. She was fatigued and tired, unstable on her feet. The cars that passed them never stopped and the Decepticon’s didn’t follow them. The two were thankful of this.

Finally, Veren took one last step and stumbled to her knee. “I can’t go on. How much farther to the next town?”

Sonic Boom merely shrugged grumbling an “I don’t know”. He watched as Veren tried to rise again. He decided he needed to help her. He grumbled something folding his arms around, the metal under his arms flipped out connecting around his head forming the face of a motorcycle, a wheel slide out between his wrists fastening under the motorcycles front, his feet curled around and a second wheel thrust out beneath the base of his tail as it folded into the compartment closing around his tail, finally, his wings fold under his chest as the engine connects and he settles on the road with two wheels. He revs his new motor and purrs along with it.

Veren glares at him. “I hate you.”

He chuckles a mean growl.

She jumps on him and revs his motor by twisting the handle bar above the curve on his back. “Ohh, that’s nice.” He gurgles. She puts him into drive and speeds onto the road. Sonic Booms speed gage tells her he can go well over-three-hundred. “Where are we going?”

Sonic Boom growled something more.

The Decepticon base was held in Aztec temples. People still visited them, Megatron wouldn’t have it any other way. This was the only way he knew Optimus Prime wouldn’t come snooping around. The humans had access to the top of the temples, but never found the secret passages below. The secret passages that held his interests.

Inside the base, part was temple the other was Mini-Con ship. Megatron saw it fit to erect his new throne from part of the ship and made it in an area where human sacrifices were held, where gods drank the blood of mortals. This suited him greatly to his taste.

Starscream stood in the room with him leaning his shoulder to the wall. It was unusually sturdy for a human creation from before time had begun. Another Decepticon stood in the room with them, a little ignored or unnoticed, a little of both. “Are you for certain this is the same Mini-Con?” Starscream questioned tirelessly.

Megatron had not grown tired of this questioning. In fact, he loved hearing his voice confirming his decision. “Yes. This is the exact same Mini-Con. I’m certain,” he leans back motioning the walls of the temple, halls high enough for gods to pass through. “The Mini-Con has a crud expression as being a dragon demon with claws,” his cruel grin only increased as his head tilted gently. “But the detail I was so intent on was the red bands on his arms and the crest upon his head.”

“Why?”

“The crest and bands are universal. No Mini-Con is exaggerated this way, none shall.”

“But sir,” the other Decepticon began, “that Mini-Con, legend says it was lost eons ago. During a fight between you and Sentient Prime.”

This statement pleased Megatron though the details were in fact a myth. He felt giddy. “Yes,” he responded sully, “but this Mini-Con is immortal.”

Somewhere in Okalhoma
Veren entered a diner flinging the door wide. She looked tired, her helmet under her arm. As she stepped through the door, quickly slipping the helmet into her open sack-pack making her way through the diner to the bar. She sat on a stool laying her head on the counter. She heard Sonic Boom stumble slightly as he stepped short of the small metal frame of the door. He had to bend his head low placing a titanium foot upon the metal door rim. Veren didn’t even look. He walked over and sat on a stool beside her placing his arms on the counter, keeping his body straight, and looking at the pies in the glass display beside him curiously.

The diner held no décor in particular fancy. Pictures set upon the rough wood walls were black and white showing the diner at its peek of glory, the town when it was first glorified. A few football flags were tacked higher to the right of the long bar, one read Autocon’s, another read Braves, other names could be read as well of less famous teams: one flag was faded beyond eligibility. The windows of the diner had been covered with tin foil plates to block the light out, above the slowly turning blades of ceiling fans kept Veren wary of Cyclonus. Ashtrays sat at the center of weak stationed tables in conversation with the mustard, hot sauce, ketchup, salt, and the pepper. Down the bar to Veren’s left was an old man slumped against the bar, possibly drunk or asleep, maybe a little of both. The diners heavy atmosphere was saturated with cigarette pollution, grease from the grill, spilt soda and beer, and the tingling smell of cooking foods, this all kept Sonic Boom aware. The ice cream machine beyond the bar was leaking vanilla topping into the waste tray.

A number of people stood up and left when Sonic Boom entered, they placed their tabs on their tables even paying more than they bought, just to leave without contest.

A female waiter with loose hair tied up and a plaid shirt with dirty apron walked over to the new customers, to Sonic Boom’s surprise. She took out a note pad from apron and pencil from hair. She eyed the Mini-Con as he watched her curious.

“Excuse me.” She waited for a response from either one.

Sonic Boom nudged Veren hard with his snout and she jolted up. “I say!” she shook her head embarrassed by her own yelp. She looked at the waiter slyly speaking in a low, polite tone. “Hello…”

“Mornin’.” She flipped some pages on her note pad and asked after finding a clean page, “What can I get you?”

Veren lowered her head deeply tired rubbing the side of her eye. “Cheese Burger, fires, chocolate milk shake…”

Veren didn’t usually get bread-related items such as burgers, rolls, pretzels, crackers, cookies—of any sort. It was a carbohydrates issue, bread made you fat, or in this humans case made her feel fat. Occasionally, she would gorge herself in some good food. She knew diners like this one served good sandwiches and milkshakes. She could afford a chance. Besides, she needed some extra energy from the work she had been doing. After Sonic Boom’s dirty trick, at leading her down the road while he had wheels the entire time.

The waiter wrote these items down, easy enough.

Veren turned to Sonic Boom. “You want anything?” she decided to ask, just in case.

“Hrmm…” he nodded. “Aroo. Gama to erk pilloamanogo baga till,” he pointed a very sharp claw to a Sprite dispenser.

Veren frowned, “Say what?”

“I’ll have your orders in a minute,” the waiter gawked at Sonic Boom a moment longer. She turned away, flipping the notebook over and slipped it into her apron as she stepped through the swaying doors into the kitchen. Even after she entered the kitchen, she still had to peek over the window like a little schoolgirl at Sonic Boom.

“What’s with you and the Sprite?”

Sonic Boom explained in his reptile tone, politely. He was interested in the carbonated bubbles, sugar, and syrup.

“Oh,” Veren laid her head down again. She began wondering was this the same Mini-Con that had attacked her? He was so polite and considerate now. He was even fiercer when attacking Megatron. These thoughts only made her headache worsen. It didn’t take long for them to receive their orders. Veren knew these little places served excellent food, especially when you were hungry. She was ravenous. She coated her burger in everything she could get a hold of.

Sonic Boom, on the other hand, poured salt into his Sprite. A lot. He stirred it and drank pouring the liquid down his gullet. Veren supposed he couldn’t swallow if he wanted. She wondered though where the liquid had gone.

The waiter had free time, so she stood beside the bar near where Veren and Sonic Boom ate. Sonic Boom demanded another Sprite and the waiter leaned over to get it for him from behind the bar. Again he poured salt in.

“What is that?” the waiter finally asked.

Veren had eaten half of her burger in less than three-minutes and looked up, “Him?” The waiter nodded without removing her eyes, “He’s a Mini-Con.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

She put the pencil back into her rolled up hair. “See, we have this Mini-Con working in the back, he’s a great cook. But he’s not nearly as big…or weird looking as this one.”

“Grah,” Sonic Boom became interested in the conversation when the waiter mentioned “Mini-Con in the back”.

“Megatron called him a Mini-Con.”

“Megatron?”

“Yeah-“ Veren caught her mistake before uttering it. The waitress could ask them to leave or call the police if Veren gave her to much information. “He gave it up. Guess he’s not that special of a Mini-Con.”

Veren was too late. The waitress nodded in a way that was too suspicious, “It did?”

“Can I have a doggie bag?” Veren was already pulling her money out.

“Sure, I’ll go get you one,” the waiter left for the kitchen. When the swinging doors stopped swaying a Mini-Con peeked through the window this time.

Veren sighed, “I think we should go now.” Sonic Boom took one fry from her tray and put it in his mouth. “Hey,” she growled. He immediately spat it up onto the counter.

“Urk.”

“Serves you right,” Veren put the tab on the bar and took up her basket of fries.

“Hey, you can’t take that,” An obvious friend of the diner called.

“Bite me,” Veren followed Sonic Boom through the door.

Outside the two walked along a bare road. The town was a very small one, the only reason they stopped was due to Veren’s need for food. Sonic Boom recognized that and found the diner amid the buildings. He follows her loyally as she bends over the basket on her hand eating the last of her fries. He looks tall and proud, head held high, the sun glistens off his hide brighter than silver.

Veren tosses the basket down and keeps munching a fry or two.

Sonic Boom sees the basket and picks it up.

Veren looks over at him, “What are you? Some kind of globe freak?”

He leans over to her muttering in his reptile tone, a tone only she could understand, “Cama strecon inpen barrow alsee swiss. Hashet pidin que r vorgue tuk uda?” he said something about ‘planet’ and ‘taking care of it’.

“Why?” she turns away sighing. She was the only human with a global freak Mini-Con.

“Asca dop wulla rawub vorgue, castar tor baska hiller death poasit.”

“Don’t talk to me about home,” she quickens her pace away from him.

Sonic Boom sighs. He felt a little hopeless now. Had he chosen the right human? Did he make a mistake? He shook his head violently but childishly. No, he thought, this is a human I can trust. He quickened his pace to keep up with Veren’s.

The Autobot base, or Cybertron cities, were set about the globe. No more threats came from space, no more Unicron to worry about. They conserved their hard earned energon supplies by rarely using them unless for emergency. The Decepticon’s were still interested in energon mines, but combed their efforts with the remaining Mini-Con’s now.

The Hour Glass generation.

Optimus concentrated on his men finding and reviving them as well as the Autobots discovered, hidden under Cybertron in stasis pods until a new era of hope and energy came to their home world. Some of the original Mini-Con’s had returned to help-those like High Wire, Sureshock, Grindor, Sparkplug, Jetstorm, Scattor, Runway, and many others. Many Mini-Con’s that were awakened today were still frightened. They had to be eased and assured everything was all right now.

Though, now Prime felt otherwise. He felt a woe after the appearance of the new Mini-Con. He stood on a bridge overlooking a city of Autobot’s. Since Unicorn the cities have grown. Autobot’s shared their cities directly with humans, together they worked to fight the Decepticon’s still resisting, still following Megatron. Some were renegades and mercenaries still looking for a good deal. Prime felt he could trust those Decepticon’s wishing, pledging loyalty under him. They had no reason to, and there were always plenty of Mini-con’s about for them to steal outside the cities. Prime was just that way. Trusting, forgiving, compassionate. He was a supreme example of the universes good.

Then why was he scanned?

He wondered this, even when a human walked up to him. A strong looking scientist, with chocolate brown hair, and a round gentle face. He was lean and healthy. He called again while the Autobot leader was still in deep thought, “Optimus Prime?”

After hearing him the third time, he turns from the view. “Spike. I didn’t hear you,” he shakes his head still drawing data from thought.

“I figured that after I called for the second time.” He smiles reading from a sheet of paper. “The town in Woonsocket reported that a waitress there served a strange person accompanied by a ‘large reptile in metal armor’.” He looks up to see Prime’s response.

“Woonsocket, South Dakota?” he considered where they first saw the deadly Mini-Con.

“That’s way more than two-hundred miles from where you first encountered him? They’re moving fast.”

“Yes. I imagine he’s seeking a low profile in late of the attack.” Prime seemed far off in thought. “Where could he be heading?”

“I hope this isn’t a dead end lead,” he said, motioning the path beyond the bridge. “You’d better find out what’s going on.”

Optimus was all ready stomping by Spike, “Send out a call to the other Autobot’s. Tell them to enter the launch ramp and head for Woonsocket in South Dakota.”

“I’ll get right on it,” Spike ran along with him determined to keep up. He did.

“But I want you to stay here,” he ordered. “This Mini-Con is inclined as a new threat despite his alliance to a human accomplice, until we know what he’s capable I would feel safer if you remained behind.”

Spike smirked. “Yes sir. No explanation required.”

In the motel room, the water was running in the bathroom lifting scolding steam into the air. The door was left open for the steam to escape. An open hand, soap bar lay on the rim of the tub with a bottle of cheap motel soap. Veren’s clothing lay on the sink atop a white towel.

Veren was soaking her body in the tub. It had been five days since a bath. In desperation to escape the Decepticon’s, she had to give up that pleasure temporarily. Now she felt terribly grungy, the blood on her arm had only been washed off, now she could bathe the wound. It wasn’t infected, actually it had been cauterized.

Feeling safer where they were now she and Sonic Boom took the time to relax. It didn’t bother her to leave the door open. Sonic Boom didn’t care he had more things to worry about. However, for any other robot she would have to deny this. Sonic Boom was like a brother. She described their friend ship, as thus-they had only known the other for five days.

Sonic Boom lay on the single bed. He was modest and would not make any movement toward the open bathroom door. He was a dog in sense. Loyal. His tail curled near his face as he watched TV, the remote under his arm. If a program didn’t suit him, he would change it with a slight touch to button. A program he paused on caught his attention. He raised his head high listening for the rattlesnake creeping up. He listened intently.

“—Sources tell us that the Decepticon known as Offbeat took control of the bus and is now leading it out to a location far outside the city limits. It appears Megatron has taken charge of this operation. The Decepticon itself sits and waits as the unit is delivered. What it is planning is unclear at the moment. We will have you dated on the minute….”

Veren had been watching from the doorway of the bathroom covered with a towel, dripping hot water. Offbeat had done this sort of thing before. When the broadcast ended, Sonic Boom snarled deep. She turns to him surprised, “Sonic Boom?”

Sonic Boom turned his head back as he stepped out. “Xon…antyh, fruom,” he yearned. This was important to him.

Veren returned to the bathroom slipping her clothing on, while she was wet. She ran into Sonic Boom as she headed out the door slapping her shirt on.

He turned his back to her. As though they spoke mentally, she leapt onto his back as he leapt over the rail onto a car below. The car whined and it’s alarm sounded. Veren stuck her sack-pack onto her back keeping hold of her Mini-Con with one hand, then, exchanging hands to put the other strap on. Sonic Boom thundered down the road as Veren put her helmet on it’s home.

When in robot mode, Sonic Boom had no handlebars. They were reserved for his alternate form. Veren held onto him around his neck. She didn’t sit on the motorcycle seat upon his back. She had to sit ahead of that or she would fall. She pressed herself against Sonic Booms back as his form shifted. He reverted to a motorcycle. Veren gripped the bars until her hands turned white and numbed. Sonic Boom almost floated off the ground. Veren guessed he could flatten his shoulder blades outward like wings and become an aerial bike.

“Boom!” she called. “The kids on the bus. They’re little tykes.”

“Hyrta furhh…queste murh diodrun mier? Hunder feia poy nastuo moa,” his motorcycle head shifted slightly as if to look back at her.

She paused. She didn’t see. Didn’t know. How did she know? “I just feel it.”

With the children her dark past held near them.

6
The garage of Ocean City was also a pad for warp gate technology. Early back the Decepticon’s tried sabotaging the equipment by bombing it. Instead of re-building it, they moved the system into the vast garage of Autobot repairs where it could be protected. Omnicons and Mini-Cons maintained constant surveillance of the gate to insure that when it was needed it was ready to go at the command. Near the bridge stood a black and white Autobot with a grenade launcher attached to his upper back, the barrel raised higher above his head. Trailbreaker was the only Autobot assisting Prime on the investigation of the sighting in South Dakota.

Prime was about to leave, Ocean city for Woonsocket when a Decepticon ran up to him from beyond the large doors of the chambers rear. “Sir! Megatron has high-jacked a bus full of nuns!”

“WHAT?” he turns to him taken by the statement.

“Umm, no.” he scratched the back of his head white head.

“Vex, what is it?”

“Uh, what I meant to say. He highjacked a bus of elementary students from Arroyo Elementary. I think the old ploy “kids got Mini-Con, must be destroyed” follows.”

Prime took this shock in stride sifting through lightening fast details of a strategy. “Give the Autobot’s new orders. Tell them to head to the coordinates of the town.”

“Yes sir.”

“I’ll be on my way there. Trailbreaker, let’s go”. He moved towards the Autobot shifting form in step.
Trailbreaker follows his actions. “Yes sir.”

The path ahead of them resembled a ramp of light rather metal. The area around it expressed a loss gravity over changes of field while items nearby slid away. This explains the sign near the ramp. As a big rig carting a trailer Optimus slides forward onto the ramp. Trailerbreaker as a van skid after him. Both just disappear into the fluctuating energies.

South Dakota
Out at the center of a dry desert mid noontime Megatron sat on a boulder waiting with his patience mustered. This mission was not a particularly fun one, or satisfying. As soon as Offbeat arrived with the bus, he would demand the Mini-Con. That wouldn’t be difficult. Afterwards he would let his much sicker Decepticon’s have their way with those aboard the bus.

“Megatron? What if Offbeat gets the wrong bus? You know how he gets when he’s excited.” Demolishor was a heavy Decepticon despite his lean construction; reinforced armor over his chest and limbs. His alternate mode was a large farm vehicle for cultivating the earth. Though his left leg consisted of a saw for digging up the earth, his hands were tipped with long claws rather than fingers—part of his brush scooping. He used these weapons well time and time again, though at first he was a little embarrassed by his choice. He thought first something to destroy the earth, to dig up the Mini-Con’s, would be more useful, the weapons were increasingly straying from his original goal.

“If he delivers the wrong bus, then you may have your way with him.” A smirk confirms Megatron was dead serious.

Up on the cliffs that make a horizon of the desert. Veren lies beside Sonic Boom looking down at Megatron. The orange dust stained her shirt and body, but she didn’t care. They were in a position that Megatron could not find them unless he turned around and looked up.

“They’re not here yet.”

“Eh,” he grumbled.

“So we wait,” she slid back and Sonic Boom followed this movement. When she turned to lie on her back, she caught sight of something in the air. It was familiar. She became alarmed. “Sonic Boom. “Who’s that?”

He shrugged. “Urrono.”

She squint her eyes through the helmet. “Is it…Skywarp?”

Another aerial Decepticon joined Skywarp. Cyclonus flew by him. The two were keeping survey for the Autobot’s.

The jet and helicopter soon flew high over Sonic Boom and Veren and down changing their bodies and joining Megatron. Veren soon found why. As she and Sonic Boom slid up to see over the ridge. Offbeat was approaching with the bus. The bus was ahead of him, and bumped along the road. It reminded Veren of something from war, but she brushed it aside determined to keep focus on what was going on.

Offbeat brought the bus nearer to Megatron letting it slid to a stop and continued on. It was within easy sight for Mini-Con and human above Megatron’s head. Offbeat drove on by the bus, still maintaining motion. He was a small military jeep. A gun set high on his hood. When he transformed to his robot mode, the gun was folded against the back of his thigh.

“This is the bus I received readings from.” He kneels before Megatron showing he had intended well.

Megatron frowned when he saw the passengers of the bus. “What are these? Human maggots?”

Offbeat shuddered. He was not in good views with Megatron. He was a clumsy Decepticon. However, he was still new to the war on planet Earth, a fresh recruit to Megatron’s active team. But now he felt he may never become familiar, if he didn’t please Megatron. “I’m sure one of them has it.”

“Very well.” With a slight nod, he motions the Mini-Con next to his feet to the bus.

“Another time for Leader-one to shine.” Veren whispered to Sonic Boom.

The little Mini-Con walked over to the bus door and tapped on it. The driver opened it, cooperation with the machines was key to survival. If driving were an option-not after Offbeat severed that possibility-it wouldn’t help either. Skywarp and Cyclonus would have bombed the bus before it made half a quarter. The Mini-Con waved a hand. “Get the kids off,” he said in coded beeps. He never learned to speak, never saw point to it if it just got you in trouble.

The driver undid his buckle and stood turning to the kids. Some were crying, others were amazed in ignorance to the situation, staring from the windows at the robots. “Alright, listen up. They want us to get off the bus. Stay together and don’t try running or else you’ll get hurt,” he was stern but sympathetic with his voice. “We’ll be okay, as long as we do what they say. So, single file off the bus,” he turned hopping off the bus first and waited at the base for the kids. Some left their things and others carried their cute brightly colored sack-pack’s on their backs dropping down each step of the bus.

Offbeat was left to guide them. He points to the base of the ridge. “Gather there.”

By his request, the driver leads the kids over to the base. He cooed and beckoned as more and more kids hopped off the bus. A little seven-year old boy clung to his waist terrified. He didn’t mind and kept the other kids quiet, he shepherd them to stand behind him so anything done would be done to him first.

Veren looked over at Sonic Boom. She felt he was uneasy. She was right.

The upper portion of his snout trembled to curl up, while it was his gnashing teeth that pressed his jaw up. He was just like a dog. When you made him mad, he would bite too.

“Take it easy.”

He lowered his head into the orange dust. “Mueh,” he said.

Veren turned back watching the two opposites—elementary students and Decepticon’s. She shook her head.

Megatron took over now. He stood from the boulder stepping forward next to the small bus. He knew his form struck terror in all, a group of toddlers was nothing special. He motioned them with a finger. “One of you has something of mine. Give it to me and I shall spare you.”

“Give them a break!” the driver snarled disgusted with Megatron’s approach. “They’re just a bunch of kids! They don’t know any better!”

His bored glare told little to his mood. “I bet they know what a Mini-Con stasis panel is.”

The driver sighed. He turns to the kids. “Do any of you have a Mini-Con thing?” Some shake their heads while others go chorus “no.” “Do you guys know what one looks like?” They respond the same way as before. “Come here. Close. I’ll show you,” he kneels down explaining. “It’s green, flat, and has a picture like this.” He draws the common sight of the Mini-con plate on the ground. “Do any of you have something like this?” The same response. “Are you sure?” The children seemed questionably of their own innocence.

“Well?” Megatron growls.

The driver turns to him. “None of them have it.”

He turns to Offbeat. “Explain.”

“Uhh…the signal still comes from here.”

“Hmph,” he turns to Leader-one. “Well? Is that signal here?”

He nods his head.

“Two say that it is. Unless you have it.”

The driver gets an idea. He speaks boldly. “Yes. Yeah, I have it.”

Megatron smashes the hood of the bus into the ground with a fist. “Don’t toy with me! You have no idea what kind of wraith you mess with, flesh sack!”

The sudden roar from Megatron shocked Scott. For many a year of his life, he drove different routs. He was a charter. Tourist guide. Nothing like this had ever happened. The children that rode his bus to and from the elementary school for the past two-in a half years were his responsibility. But more than that he liked the kids. If one of them were hurt while under his guide, he would be crushed. His hair was cut short but a little string of braided hair dangled off his back. His black leather jacket had been cleaned, but now held orange dust. Being original, his white shirt and blue genes were his attire for the day. “Are you sure?”

“Human, I can tell by your face. Now tell me, which of the little warts has it, before I-”

“Megatron!” Optimus roars as he slides above the bus into his enemy.

“Prime!” He immediately forgets the human and kids so he can put his full force into fighting.

The other three Decepticon’s scatter as the Autobot’s appear, one after the other off a gleaming strip of ground. Weapon fire darts back and forth, each on the enemy. The kids cry out in amazement to the Autobots and Decepticon’s war wage.

“This isn’t a spectator sport!” Hot Shot transforms sliding in front of the group shielding them from fire. A purple laser struck his shoulder, but he shrugged it off. “Follow me and stay out of their view.” Hot Shot ran with them on his left side. He lead them the way the other Autobot’s came, away from the madness.

“No! I won’t let them escape!” Megatron turned a mighty cannon on his shoulder blade to face the children. It burned a purple gleam at the tip.

“NO!” Optimus was too late to tackle.

“Fire-“ Megatron’s barrel bursts sending fire and molten metal skyward. “AH-who?” He looked to the point of trajectory. “No!”

Sonic Boom stood high on the ridge with Veren at his right. “Sonic Boom, shoot first then ask questions!”

“Raaawwwwwwwwww!” was his only response. A small rifle came from the curve that was higher on back, between shoulder blade wings. This rifle used a form of magnums that did extreme damage—small but precise.

Optimus saw the Mini-Con, knew the fire had come from him but failed to understand why. “Who are you?” he called.

Sonic Boom leapt down the ridge sliding across the steep descent. His head remained fixed on Megatron.

“Sonic Boom! The Mini-Con!” Veren jumped down following him. “And I need a weapon!”

Sonic Boom turned to her as he went down keeping his balance. He flung his shoulder blade at her. A curved blade, in some form of yataghan style materialized as it spun from his shoulder blade-wing.

Veren caught it. “Thanks,” she immediately tripped after this, holding onto the blade as she tumbled by Sonic Boom, and rolled to the base of the cliff. Sonic Boom ignored her darting by for his main priority.

“Halt!” Cyclonus couldn’t help himself but giggle. He flew straight down spooking the fierce Mini-Con.

“Boom!” Veren spun onto her feet throwing the blade like a boomerang at the Decepticon. It flew up cutting the helicopter blades with one stroke.

“Ahhh!” he fell to the ground as his copters blades scaled the sky. “You dirty human! Transform,” he clinched his fist. “I’m gonna crush you!”

“Sonic Boom! The kid!” Veren was busy wrapping a piece of cloth around her palm thick and tight. When she tossed the blade it cut her hand deep, and when she wielded the blade it cut her, this was the price for using a weapon that cut metal like butter and held no actual grip. She jumped back from Cyclonus when he attacked. The Mini-Con darted right by Cyclonus heading for the bus.

“Cum’er!” He dived for Veren.

Veren jumped back. The blade returns, as a boomerang should. She caught it feeling a burn in her palm-even through the bandage-she swung it down for Cyclonus palm! “Here’s a taste of my own medicine!”

“OW!” He brought his hand back. After examining the deep wound he turned his face to her, “I’ll tear you in two.”

“So do it already!” She pivots and ran when Cyclonus leapt for her again. She knew she couldn’t outrun him. She didn’t need to. Having these robots run after you was the key. They seemed too stupid to get that. Holding the blade to her side and covering her face, she tumbled. Timing was the key, and telling people not to do this at home. If she didn’t do her tumble correctly then she could get herself stepped on. Again, Cyclonus jogged right over her missing a good chance to grab her. She angled herself to strike her knee at the ground and came upright with the blade extended. She swung it hitting his ankle.

“Ah-“ Cyclonus stumbled beautifully. He received a mouth full of dirt and sand. “I’ll get you….”

Sonic Boom made his way to the bus. Chaos surrounding it was limited, only Optimus and Megatron went at it right by the smashed in hood. He halted when fire struck the ground in his path. He huffed turning to see Skywarp.

A large purple and black jet that resembled Starscream a great deal-an F-23 of an old design yet holding heavily modified implications beneath the armor-dives in. “Mini-Con! Come to the sky with me!” He banked aside taking a vertical climb. His skills rivaled the veteran Decepticon.

Sonic Boom snarled a dry groan. His eagerness to improve his power was only over ruled by the contents of the bus. Being much vainer than he was a warrior, he jumped up.

Skywarp banked slowly and gave him some fire to deal with. Sonic Boom weaves through it with excellent skill. He fired lasers from the gun on his back. Skywarp gained speed and climbed. Sonic Boom followed, firing. The two struck and aerial dogfight. The small raptor was formidable with his size and speed, the Decepticon had his firepower and accuracy.

Veren watched from the ground standing on the boulder Megatron took as a throne hours before. “I wonder how’s he gonna get out of that?” A missile darted by her head, searing her outer helmet. She jumped up ducking others that followed and hid behind the rock. “What’d I do?”

Demolishor reached around the side of the boulder, before she could escape again and caught her by the ankle. “The answer is too long to mutter.” He dangled her a few yards before his face, his delicate claws cut her flesh with litte exert.

“That hurts!”

“Of course it does, human! What did you think I was going to do?” he shook her, his claws cut deep into her ankle spilling blood through her pant legs.

“Let me down!” Veren spun the blade at an awkward angle trying to hit his hand. She cut a fingertip off allowing her to slip from his grip. He cried out grabbing his hand as she fell onto her head. She flipped over onto her back staring up a little dazed by the critical impact. Where am I? she thought immediately. She saw Demolishor’s foot over her head. She jolted forward somersaulting over her self and getting very dizzy. She wondered for a moment what became of her blade. She tumbled over her self until she struck the side of the ridge near the boulder. “Uhh…” she groaned looking up at Demolishor. A streak of lbood had followed through the orange sand to her ankle.

He laughs. “Who thought I would be the one to end your pitiful existence?”

“Um, I’m just as clueless as the next guy.”

“SHUT UP!” He spun the chainsaw on his leg and swung it forward. Veren dived over this feeling the whirl of the blade and assumed she would be gutted into tiny pieces. But she fell safely past the blade and rolled between Demolishor’s feet. She found her footing and ran. “Hey, I’m not through with you!”

Veren sighted her blade amid dash and grabbed it. She felt relieved that it was so easy to find. When she spun around, she found Demolishor right behind her. Instinctively she brought the blade up as he brought his chainsaw leg down. Demolishor wailed in pain as the teeth along his leg were severed while Veren dished out the pain. She held the blade under the nose of her helmet and pressed all her weight into the blow. All she needed was to hold the weapon where it was while Demolishor did the rest. Once or twice the chainsaw teeth would strike her helmet hard, forming deep grooves exposing her head, one managed to cut her scalp and blood seeped forth. She didn’t feel it though.

Before all his precious teeth were torn off, he stopped falling backwards and holding his leg. “Ahhh, what kind of weapon is that?”

“Don’t ask me. I just got it from that fool,” she points up at Skywarp fighting Sonic Boom.

“Skywarp?”

“No you twit! Sonic Boom!” she roared.

Demolishor looked off a little confused. His eyes gleam a little out of surprise. “Whoa! He gave that to you?” he limped back away from Veren.

Seeing her foe retreating, Veren turned away. She fell forward as Skywarp darted down, and angry hornet followed him stinging. The two gained little altitude missing the bus but Skywarp managed to smash into Megatron. The two were flung into the side of the ridge where an avalanche of dusty orange rock and soil covered the two. Megatron was face first in the dirt and Skywarp lay on his back atop Megatron. Veren made her way over to them slowly to see what the scene was like up close.

Leader-one caught her off guard and took advantage. He caught her good in the side sending her over. She jumped right back up seizing him.

He beeped something “He won’t help you now.”

“So he won’t ruin my fun? Good.”

Veren was hearted that Leader-one was fighting dirty. They were down on the ground, rolling over, kicking up dust. He caught her blade and tossed it aside.

“Ahhh! Prime!” he grabbed the Autobot leader’s arms and spun him around. He released Prime so he could get him out of his way. “You tire my patience.”

Instead of falling-Optimus came down on his feet and used one hand to keep his balance. Grit and dust going into his knuckles made a crunch as he brought his hand back. He clashed with Megatron-an intense fist-fight. Prime landed the blow this time cracking Megatron hard on the cheek and sending him onto the unconscious Skywarp.

Leader-one grabbed Veren’s arm in his hands, he bent it at an angle to break it. Veren was much calmer than this Mini-Con. She struck his chest with a sturdy rock. It shattered in her hands and the Mini-Con fell to his back stunned. Veren stood limping at her leg. Sweat accumulated all over her face, chest, it stung her scalp where she had been damaged. She licked her lips as she looked over at Sonic Boom.

“What are you up to?” she called. Of course she knew what he was doing. She just wanted him to tell her.

Sonic Boom ignored her for a moment. He was ripping into the iron of the bus. His claws were amazing. The bus was like butter while his claws moved as hot knives through thin steel. He tore at it with his snout and hands, ripping wires away, foam layering, more iron. He created a large hole in the school bus and peered inside.

“Want me to climb in?” Veren didn’t think he could fit through the small hole. Abruptly, she changed plans and ran. “Shoot!”

Offbeat chased her this time. “You messed everything up!”

Sonic Boom was cleaning the rim of the hole and looked around. “Gruh.” A small boy was curled up under a seat. He was trembling with black hair, a navy blue shirt, and red shorts. He was also crying.

Sonic Boom cooed to him softly and touched the back of his neck with his snout.

The boy shrieked tensing through his body and sobbed. Sonic Booms eyes gleamed, the lens changing position studying the child in the dim light. He cooed again, this time muttering comforting words with whimpers. “Ey. Posh cay mark tie piggal. Biq bawl mo de tash.”

The boy turns his head to look at him. “I’m scared.” Sonic Boom just stared at him. “Are you going to hurt me?” Sonic Boom shook his head slowly. The boy had tears streaming down his face. “I didn’t know—“

“Day toga bill oroco pikta delli,” he held his arms out as though his previous snarl had said, “Come here”.

The boy slid out from under the bus seat letting Sonic Boom take him. He cradled the boy in his large arms like a delicate egg and backed away from the hole. He set him down and leaned down to see his face, he bent so close it looked as though he were licking his tears.

Meanwhile, Veren was running back and forth. She was unable to lose Cyclonus because he was limping and not moving just fast enough for a ‘dirty’ trick. However, she could keep away from his grip only meeting his firearms.

“I’ll tear you in two!”

Veren snarled at him annoyed. “Come up with better lines. You bore me!”

“Fine,” he shot at her missing terribly striking the ground, dirt and rocks ricochet up into the blood-streaked helmet sending Veren onto her back. She pants winded and a lot of hurt.

“Whatever works,” he pinched her with both hands, from the abdomen and shoulders-his full intent to pull her in half. “Let’s see ya wiggle two ways.”

“Two ways?” She twists the blade around weakly severing his thumb and two other fingers. He shrieks as she falls onto her shoulder. This time she stood ready to fight raising her blade.

Cyclonus leans over shrieking. “I’ve had enough of your abuse—”

“RAWWR!” Sonic Boom lunged out of nowhere between Veren and Cyclonus. His eyes gleamung a brilliant yellow as he snarls at Cyclonus opening his mouth and baring a full set of sharp teeth. He hisses again.

“You don’t scare me!” Before he can aim a gun and fire, Sonic Boom leans over. The gun on his back shoots Cyclonus through the shoulder severing his right arm. He shrieks and falls over sobbing. “Mm’arm. You cut my arm off!”

Sonic Boom snarls stepping back.

Veren walks over leaning on him to take the pressure of her bad leg. “Hey, Sonic Boom. How it goes?” she sees the boy nestled in his arms. “Yo kid? What’s up?”

“Surrender Megatron. You’ve lost.” He had his large black rifle aimed and ready. As far as Optimus was concerned, he could end the war now.

“Never.” Megatron had a gun carefully aimed for his arch nemesis. When the cross hairs in his sight turn red-he was locked on. He grinned. “You’ve lost….“

Sonic Boom leapt high with unlimited momentum. He caught Megatron’s shoulder barrel in his claws toppling over with the Decepticon with his force issuing a cry. Megatron struck the cliff sliding against the base, he grit his teeth with dirt sifting down. Sonic Boom leapt high again flipping backwards and landed on the ground. He lowered his head hissing dryly.

“Grave…” Before Megatron could finish, he faded.

Offbeat sighs disappointed as he turns from Trailbreaker. “As Megatron commands. Retreat.” He fades hoping the others had registered him.

Cyclonus looked confused. “Ah, the boss left!”

“He did?” Demolishor leaves when Cyclonus does.

Sonic Boom was still panting eyes fixed where Megatron was a moment before.

“Sonic Boom!”

He turns his head to see Veren walking up. She was trying to move fast, but she couldn’t while carrying a kid and limping. He made it easy and jogged over to her. “Rah roo.”

“I’m a mess again-” she slipped nearly falling. Sonic Boom easily caught her and the kid in his arms. But he had to admit this was fun. He fell over.

Optimus ran over to see what was going on. “Are you alright?”

“Do we look alright?”

Optimus was dumfounded. This question had been common before, out of sarcasm. But this human was seriously hurt and he was losing blood at an alarming rate. Was he serious at all?

Sonic Boom leaned his head back exuberant to see Optimus. His expression was utterly cheerful and bright. He almost looked as though he were smiling.

“The kid needs to get back with the others.”

Finally, after all of this, the boy looked up. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s okay kid. I made the same mistake.”

Sonic Boom further comforted the boy by nuzzling his neck gently and cooing.

“He say’s “It’s okay. Don’t blame yourself. No one was hurt. And you know better now”. I think he means it.”

Optimus couldn’t help but wonder of this Mini-Con. Was this the same one? The legendary Mini-Con of Mini-Con’s? He couldn’t be sure. But the human was right. The boy needed to be taken to the others. Trailbreaker volunteered to take him straight home. After wards, Veren complained:

7
Thus the events following the rescue mission, Optimus Prime returns with his team to Ocean city with a human and two new Mini-Cons. It was already night, the worst time to return with strangers. He was surprised when he stopped for Veren opened his door and stumbled out, the Mini-Con followed. Trailbreaker and Hot Shot halt just behind Prime.

“Transform.” By his command, they stood in their robotic glory and tech forms. Whatever you wanted to call it.

Spike had entered the garage to see them when them upon their return. “Hello,” he called. He stopped to examine their new guest not at all surprised, not even by the strange dance he was performing hunched over with hands clasping helmet.

“Eh,” Veren muttered. “Name?”

“Spike.”

“Heh.” She gave a scornful giggle.

“Is there a problem?”

“My helmet won’t come off.”

“Grum.” Sonic Boom stepped forward taking her head in his claws. He muttered in his growling language ‘It’s dried blood’.

“I noticed—”

“Woah! What is that?” Spike jumped back away when Sonic Boom approached.

As Sonic Boom cut the blood from Veren’s hair Optimus Prime took it as his duty to update the fellow soldier and explained what had happened, and what bonehead tactics the two new visitors had implied, though in a polite sense as he gestured between Veren hunched over and the Mini-Con leaning back holding a sly, toothy grin across his metallic beak. He rounded it off with the safety of the school children, which was what had been the intention in the first place Mini-Con or not, and finished with the ride that was offered to their new guest followed by much needed medical attention.

“Thank you, by the way,” she muttered as she droned to get the terrible helmet off.

“It was no problem,” Prime responded. He focused his attention on Sonic Boom once again, unable to avert his attention to any other detail on the moment.

Finally, Veren leaned forward unsure if he had made a thorough job and threw the helmet to the ground when it did come loose and stood straight. The sides of her cheeks were red with specks where it had rubbed. Along span of silence hung.

Hot Shot had to speak up for the others. “You-your a girl?”

Veren nodded. “What did you think I was?” Hot Shot’s uncomfortable silence told her everything. “Ohhhh. Sorry. I’m a tomboy. Helps confuse Decepticons.” She knocked her head but found it hurt too much.

“You look more hurt than tom. What happened to yourself?” Spike examined her head closely. “You’re lucky. It looks like your cranium wasn’t splint.”

“Don’t touch it. That’s tender.”

Sonic Boom made a gentle hiss.

“Sorry. You’d better have that looked at.” He backed off from the hostile robo raptor. “I can do that for you, Ialso double as a medic.” He stared at Sonic Boom.

Veren bowed. “Thank you. That would be nice. But one thing first,” she turned to Sonic Boom.

He gruffed opening the side panel of his chest to slide it back, on the door was the Mini-Con plate the boy had. Sonic Boom had not forgotten it.

Veren took it from him and walked over to Optimus. “This is always the cause of so much trouble?”

“Not so strange if you think of the others.” He accepted the plate examining it.

Veren walked over to Spike. “I’m ready to do something about my head.”

“Just follow me.” Spike led her from the garage. It was obvious Veren was tired and fatigued, she wobbled on her bad leg.

“Ghhh…” Sonic Boom followed her. He wouldn’t be left alone. Not now anyway.

Trailbreaker waited till they were out of humanly hearing. “I thought there was something strange about that guy. Now I know I can finally put myself to ease…”

“That’s not it.” Hot Shot remembered what Optimus told him at the school. “That Mini-Con. It’s like some kind of Dinobot or something.”

“It’s neither.” Optimus replied. “I fear it, but that was a long time ago.” He sighed looking at the plate he had been given. “Can you two keep an eye on the Mini-Con?”

“Sure.” “Why?”

Prime was remembering something from a long, long time ago. It was a painful memory. One he could only dread. He sighed heavily tired of the game. “I cannot tell you yet.”

8
In her new dormitory Veren sat on the bed, it was a unit given without the requirement of filling out the necessary applications. As required by the Autobot unit Spike had a physician field for administrating medical attention when needed and had bandaged up Veren’s scalp and applied stitches to her ankle, though curious by the extent of the damage. It had not been as terrible as first foretold. Regardless of appearances he administered some morphine to and assigned her this room.

After a few moments of sitting and collecting herself she stood up without a further thought, she walked to the door and opened it by pressing the panel on the side.

Sonic Boom stood outside. He brought his head back in a quaint gesture going, “Hrm?”

“Wanna take a drive into town?”

Veren needed new clothing. The only attire she wore was now deeply torn, scorched, battered, beaten, and bloody. She had money, but not enough for a shopping spree. Her lack of money was not the cause of her blain uniform. She just enjoyed dull colors. They hid her real personality. They also aided her blending in with masses of her own while hiding from a searching robot.

Sonic Boom became the motorcycle Veren drove across the long bridge. Puddles of water, not from rain, still sat under the starlight of the night sky, the lights of the Cybertron city slowly winked on. Sonic Boom struck a bump and his front wheel left the ground momentarily gliding. His companion felt deeply favored. He knew because he could feel it. She laid herself on his back still exhausted from the day and soon fell asleep. He didn’t need a driver to tell him where he was going, let alone maintain his balance.

He drove until he reached the nearest town, where he could allow Veren to shop. That was what she wished. He pulled over to a curb near a large shopping center, not a mall, but still big.

Veren awoke when he stopped moving. While sleeping she must have become accustomed to the jarring and bumping of the ride. “Where are we?” Now she was just confused.

Sonic Boom told her in his way.

“A store?” she stepped off him ruffling her hair and wincing when forgetting her stitches, “Yow.”

Sonic Boom muttered something, transforming. He was slowly feeling more comfortable with his new form and armor, but it would still be days before he had received total downloading. He was in no hurry.

He swung his head around looking at the bright lights from the street lamps. Small bugs swarmed them like specks of sugar.

“Come on. I wanna get back before they miss us.” Veren had not taken the time to tell anyone where the two had gone.

No one saw them leave; except one Autobot. He had followed them to the edge of the city and stopped. He was trying to hide, but hadn’t done a very well job. Sonic Boom saw him more than five times. If he were a stalker, he was terrible.

Veren lead Sonic Boom through the sliding doors into the bright clean store. People were purchasing their items at the counters and leaving. When Sonic Boom entered, many looked.

She stretched as she spoke, “What time is it?”

Sonic Boom gurgled. He had no idea.

She didn’t expect his response. She ignored the stares of the store wanders, she was too tired to care. She took a carrier basket from the others stacked at the entrance and looped it over her arm. She didn’t think it strange to have the large raptor Mini-Con following her around, she didn’t even think of it. He looked like a dinosaur in heavy armor prepared for when the toy section should attack.

Veren carried her the shopping basket around collecting a bundle of cheap clothing, some snacks, a book, pencils, pen, and a sketchpad. After she had taken time to spend the last of her money-which had no origin until Veren got a hold of it-she went to the checkout counter. She loaded her groceries onto the conveyor belt watching as they made their way to the cashier. She looked over. “Sonic Boom?” she looked around. “Boom?” Now she was annoyed. She turned to the cashier responding politely, “Excuse me. I must go kill someone,” she darted off by those in line behind her. “I’ll be right back!”

She ran up and down the aisles searching. “Sonic Boom,” she scorned. “Where could he be?” she checked everywhere. Anywhere she thought he could be-power tools, toy section, book and magazine-he was nowhere. She decided to check the frozen foods when she dashed by the electronics. She halted seeing his thick head bobbing up and down over a row of merchandise that could be purchased for their computer. She frowned crinkling her nose annoyed.

Sonic Boom had found a radio. He was moving his metallic body to the beat of some foreign song. He would howl softly to the voice and continue dancing. He was very good. Good as in he didn’t strike anything with his tail or anyone with his wing blades.

Two kids were watching him from the aisles. “Michael. What do you think it is?”

“I dunno, Reggie.”

“Do you think it’s some sort of dinosaur, Michael?”

“I can’t tell, Reggie.”

“SONIC BOOM!” Veren roars as she walks by him grabbing his ear and dragging him away.

Sonic Boom rowled, hopping on one foot, barely keeping his balance as he was dragged from his favorite toy of Earth, “Mara!”

“I don’t care! We’re leaving!”

Another hour had passed by the time Veren returned to her counter and items, they had already been moved again. She had to wait in line again, pay for them, then get out of the store. She stood outside with a basket of clothing, food and leisure items wondering how she was going to get them back to the Cybertron base without her sack-pack.

“Sonic Boom? Can you hook this up with a cable and just drag it along?”

He shook his head. “Awoo,” he opened his side chest. He took the bag of food items into his chest and closed it.

“You can carry stuff like that?” To his nod, she eyes her bag of clothing and sketchpad, “I guess it’s fair I carry this stuff.” She rolled her clothing up tight and held them to Sonic Booms handle bars as she jumped onto his motorcycle seat. He gave a growl as he drove off the curb to the street.

Meanwhile, during the night when so many sleep, at the Decepticon base Starscream was in his quarters hard at work. In his private dorm he had computers with large screens, all dark, a table for wounded Decepticon’s and any other samples or specimens he would find. The table would also serve as a station to recharge if he were truly depleted of energon for the cycle he could stretch out and shut down for the next few hours, given he accessed the locking system of his passage first. That was always priority among such colleagues as his. Attached to the side of this stainless steel table was a magnifying glass that had a laser point by far stronger than any humans under the Autobot’s help. He designed it himself. Upon his sample table ran parts of the Mini-Con’s ship, scrap metal of unknown origin, a shattered Mini-Con plate, and some form of satellite.

The veteran Decepticon was a scientist, or by the definition of one. He was a powerful warrior but in his spare time he looked after any Decepticon too injured to repair them selves. If he had nothing of this to do then he would look to the universe, and the earth he stood upon, or other studies as in other things. His field ran everywhere. He was not easy to fascinate but could be captivated for hours upon some study he found intriguing. It was in his heritage to inquire upon the world surrounding him and to understand what it was that could be deemed the ‘bigger picture’ of things. He considered it his hobby for his spare time and a useful one if it could yield any new information to his fingertips, anything that could be used against one or more Decepticons, an Autobot maybe, Mini-Cons, or, as he timelessly hoped, Megatron.

Currently he studied a sample of Veren’s blood he had scraped from his/her clothing. He peered through the magnified lens bored by this exercise but to satisfy his study he forced himself to. He frowned.

“Just a normal human. Nothing special. But-“ his bored expression changed. “Hmm…” Starscream had found something that fascinated him. “This is interesting,” he couldn’t stop himself from growing a smirk. “Very interesting…”

The next morning at Ocean city Veren forced herself to get up early and find out what she could while she was there.

The dormitory rooms at the city were set away from the actual work. They were in long halls that the larger Transformers could move through leading from their own dorms-human and Transformer dorms were in two different areas though they shared halls. In the human rooms, they had their own bedroom(s), bathroom(s), and living room with a TV. At the time Veren’s room was bare of evidence that anyone lived here, though in a week’s time after accumulating some personal items it could be called a home.

She stepped from her room rubbing an eye. The wounds of her fight with Decepticons still very visible on her cranium but at least she had some fresh clothing.

“I don’t remember you down this hall. Who are you?”

She turned and looked up at a friendly Autobot. He was a mixture of black and yellow, lovely colors. She noted he was much smaller than the other Autobot’s. It occurred to her this was an Omnicon, a handy-man Autobot. His kind did various important tasks for the Autobot warriors, building and constructing, they also repaired cities after Decepticon siege struck hard and helped in the heavy toll of after math. Their skill and teamwork were always renowned as beyond excellent.

“Me?” she shook her head trying to wake her-self up. “New,” she sounded tired, and she didn’t want to.

“New?” he leaned back a little. “Oh yeah. You’re the kid who was running around matching blades with Decepticon’s.”

“I was?”

“Welcome to Ocean city, by the way I’m Strongarm. It’s always good to have a new face around here.”

“Veren,” she looked around realizing she had misplaced something. “Excuse me. Have you come across a fellow named Sonic Boom? Ye big, like a raptor?”

“Oh him,” The Autobot Omnicon shifted his footing uncomfortable. “I saw him go down into the mines. You go to the center of Autobot city, follow a path to your left, go down the escalator nine levels, get on an elevator at the end. That’ll take you to the mines. I don’t know much after that.”

“Gee, I hope I remember all that,” she took off. “Thank you.”

“No prob.”

Veren found it easier to follow the Omnicons instructions than she had predicted before. When exiting the dorm halls, she found the city in a great glass dome. The sunlight came from above bright and beautiful glittering through the mirrored waves. She guessed that the dome was tented so the temperature would not rise so high to bake the inhabitants. The city had fresh trees, bushes lining walls, areas of grass where some families took time off work to play with their children. They lived at the Cybertron city. It was the most incredible thing Veren had ever come across. She made herself promise she would cherish this and never let it go. She would protect it, from whatever wanted to destroy it—even time.

Along the way a varied degree of Transformers recognized her as new to the city and offered a friendly wave as welcome mid the process of work, no one had time to introduce them self. The escalators and other forms of easy transportation were a comedy to her. They were discriminated-for human and Mini-Con convenience-one was papa bear sized and the other was baby, very baby bear sized. She slid down the railing of the escalators nearly knocking a few bystanders over. At the base she found that there was no discrimination between elevators as there had been by the escalators. She didn’t hesitate, though, to hitch a ride with some Omnicons down to the mines. No humans were in the elevator, but a few Mini-Cons and the rest Omnicons. This didn’t bother her.

When they stopped and the doors opened, there was little light. She hastily hopped from the elevator moving out of the way of the Omnicons as they stepped off. She moved between the groups of Transformers waiting to get on the elevator to return to the surface. Their shifts were long and many were dusty and dirty from digging. They carried their drills with them as those returning to the mine carried theirs.

She wondered what they were mining for. For any normal human, sight would be a problem in this kind of light. Veren had no problem. She was a full-blooded human, but she relied on her sense of smell, hearing, and mental pictures sometimes greater than she would normally use her eyes. Also, she could focus her eyes to make out shapes as they moved causing light to bounce back at her. The forms of the gleaming body Transformers were not invisible either, they glint whenever they moved under their faint lamps.

She wasn’t for sure where she was going, but she was looking for Sonic Boom. He would be easy to find. She found the mines were huge and became afraid she could become lost, but Omnicons were always around so she didn’t worry too much. The high beams set kept the mines secured. The walls were slick with moisture and one in a while a drop of water would hit Veren on her wound. When she came to a freshly excavated mine, she turned to find Sonic Boom sitting under a lamp. Something in the rock he was pawing at tediously.

“What’re you doing?” Veren asked calmly hoping over a small hole in the coral to get to him.

“Rum,” he pawed the rock away, like a cat would a hot coal. He turned to her.

“What is this?” The rock was bright yellow, glowing in fact. Veren could feel energies coming off it, energies similar to Mini-Con plates.

Sonic Boom leaned over snapping the flint crumbs between his birdish snout. His sharp teeth ground it up like a rock crusher. The rock sparked, like it was alive. He tilted his head back with a gulp before turning to Veren.

She took up some of the rock after his example. “Is it good?” she sniffed it, then tried a small piece for herself. Abruptly, she spat it out and spit as though mistaken for sour milk, “Dirt!”

“Hrmm.”

“Not dirt,” she turns to an Omnicon that resembled Strongarm. “That’s energon.”

“You’re mining this?”

He nods, “It’s a good energy source, clean and efficient. We’ve mined it for many years now.”

“Oh. I remember now. I read about it in school.”

“Good to hear they’re teaching you something. But I came here to tell you humans aren’t allowed in the mines.”

“I was following him.”

Sonic Boom sneered at her. “Grr…”

“Shut up.”

“Would you like an escort,” he motions with his hands off.

“No thank you. I think we can manage to find our way back.”

With that said Sonic Boom stood and walked away. She followed him understanding he would know the way back. He did and the ride up the elevator was a pleasant one. However, She noted that many of the Mini-Con’s whom waited hours for their turn to go up for relief did not enter the elevator when Sonic Boom did. Two stepped off politely when he approached. She shrugged this off as she boarded with the Omnicons. Now she felt uneasy for unknown reasons.

In the elevator, Veren adjusted to the bright lights from the dark mine. Sonic Boom opened the side of his chest, reached inside, and produced a present for Veren. She turned to him as he presented it to her.

“What’s this?” she asked confused when he gave her the repaired helmet.

He tilted his head neglecting his voice. He wanted her to try it on.

She slipped the helmet on and gasped, “Wow, this fits great now.”

He growled something about a button on the cheek.

Veren pressed her fingers on the side of the helmet and found soft sensors that detected her touch. The views the helmet received changed. She could see clearly from the helmet’s eyes, the view offered was more in relation to a monitor set in front of her eyes. When she pressed the buttons, it changed the helmets intake. She could see thermal, or magnify distances, a frame near the right corner of the screen set the night vision. The helmet was packed with sensors of all kind.

“You remolded my old helmet.”

Sonic Boom explained that her previous helmet was badly damaged, that and he installed the new systems to help her.

This would have been great before I entered the mine, she thought as she turned to Sonic Boom. “Thanks. It must have taken hours.”

He nodded. It did take hours. But not days.

The elevator found it’s set level and opened letting the Omnicons off. She stepped off following Sonic Boom. She immediately looked up. The sun had moved from early morning to noon. I knew I felt hungry, she thought as she looked around, “This isn’t the area I got on.”

While she looked around, Sonic Boom walked away. He looked a little glum. He didn’t seem as fascinated by his new home as Veren was.

The main reason why Veren wore her helmet in the beginning was the fact no one could see her emotions. Decepticons couldn’t see her snickering when she had the poker face, and she was a master of deception maintaining a booming voice when she trembled. Most was show and bluff and if you could keep a hostile Transformer mad the better off you were, or as it was in her opinion.

She ran up behind Sonic Boom and hit him over the head with a metal pipe she picked up.

He gave out a cry rubbing the back of his head. His annoyed glare followed Veren as she walked away. He growled rumbling deep.

“Cheer up!”

He shoved her forward like a child wanting first on the slide, “Graw!” he loomed over her menacing when she fell face flat.

Her new helmet had protected her, the image didn’t even skip. “You are going to regret that.” While Sonic Boom walked by very proud, Veren grabbed his scrawny ankle and pulled his foot right out from under him as he took a step. He fell face flat and growled, his eyes blazed hate.

A group of Mini-Con’s hiding behind a wall watch tense.

“Rawww!” Sonic Boom leapt on Veren.

She struggled with him as he held her down. “Hey! Cut it out, we were even!”

He undoes the bandanna she wore around her neck and ran away with it making a mocking cluck. He turned back to her swinging it in the air triumphant, “Arh, arh, arh!”

“Give that back!” Veren was on her feet in a blink and charged after Sonic Boom waving the pipe in the air. He made another cluck, pivoting, and ran. She held her hand capped to the back of her neck where her mark lay.

In the hidden halls of the Aztec temple in the sacrificial chamber Megatron called his throne. Starscream approaches kneeling.

“Any Mini-Con’s?”

“No sir. But I believe I have come across some interesting data on the Mini-Con you so desire.”

He seems intrigued by this word. “Information?” However, Megatron realizes he is the only Transformer, aside from other extremes, that had little understanding of what was going on with what he lost. He snarls annoyed, “It had better be fresh,” he hated hearing details repeated to him.

“Sir, there were tiny shavings of the Mini-Con’s armor in the blood of the humans.”

“And?”

“And after close analysis, I discovered that ore energon is a basic necessity of the Mini-Con’s body.”

“What?” This was something Megatron didn’t know. He knew energon converted from sources located on Earth as well as other planets powered them, it could power just about anything in these times. Energon found in the Earth could even be used given it had properly been refined by Omnibots, but he never suspected a Mini-Con to have energon in its armor. Time back Terrorcons ate energon and were forged of it, they were energon, but not Mini-Cons. Megatron was pleased with the discovery though wouldn’t let Starscream suspect this. He merely frowned at his lesser warrior. “Very good. Now find me a way to catch it.”

“Hail Megatron,” he nodded before standing and turning away. If I find a way to catch it, it’ll be all mine, Starscream assured himself as he left Megatron’s throne.

Ocean city was now raised. Purposes for the city to raise and immerse in the ocean were no clear borders. It had to remain stationary when energon was brought up, or when the elevators were in service. When Decepticon attacks came-normally very few-the city was immersed.

“Sonic Boom!” Veren roared after her Mini-Con as she ran along the top section of some area of the base. Like a roof, stairs lead up to it so, Veren followed Sonic Boom up them. She waved her pipe as she ran after him.

He cackled getting the better end of the straw and leapt off the side guiding in open air. She halts at the edge swaying forward and looking down at a drop of sixteen feet to the ground. She stepped back glaring at Sonic Boom as he waved her bandanna. He laughed hoarsely.

“Give it back!”

“Er uh,” he floated away.

Veren sighs cooling down. “Okay, fine. I can lose gracefully,” she turns pocketing her hands to walk away, hunched over as if against the rain.

Sonic Boom hovered forward. “Had she really given up?” he put his legs down to land on the roof.

“YAAAHHHHHHHHH!” Veren leapt from the roof at Sonic Boom. He moved back lifting up. She managed to grab his tail, in desperation, that and a fall like this could hurt her. Her hand holding the pipe slipped.

“Ah, ah, ah, ah!” Sonic Boom wailed trying to fly up. Veren struck him across the cheek with her pipe.

“My bandanna!” Sonic Boom gave an alarmed gawk noise as he stalled and fell to the ground. Veren maneuvered herself on top of him so he wouldn’t crush her. She was jarred when they hit the floor but all right. Sonic Boom growled glaring over his chest at her. “Shut up!” she hit him over the head with the pipe. He grabbed it biting it in two. That didn’t stop her from hitting him with the smaller end over and over continuously. He opened his mouth to snarl at her; she stuffed the dwarf pipe in his mouth.

“Ahhhh…”

“Give it back!” she lunged over his body grabbing his snout. The two rolled over fighting it out.

Spike was the unlucky individual that had to find them in this state. “Are you alright?” he didn’t get their attention. He sighed and decided to use his conventional method for gaining anyone’s attention, Mini-Con or Decepticon alike. He stuck his fingers to his lips to blow a harsh whistle.

“Aw, I don’t know,” he scratched the back of his head. “Some of them are jerks.”

Veren grinned and was thankful she was wearing her helmet.

“You missed lunch so I decided to make sure you knew where the cafeteria was,” he decided to clear this up for her. Many new employees asked the same question. “The cafeteria is for humans who want a quick meal. The food isn’t something great, but if you don’t want to chow here and you find free time you can take a trip to some other city…maybe… Russia?”

Veren was aware they were speaking of the launch ramps linking the cities and could transport them wherever they desired, if they had the proper equipment installed into them, that went for the resident Transformers. “Or Switzerland. I hear they have great chocolate.”

He laughed. “Yeah.”

She bowed to him. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to look at it after I get some lunch.”

“Your welcome.” Spike returned her bow. He wondered if she was Japanese or knew the culture.

“Come on, Sonic Boom,” she took her bandanna from him and wrapped it around her neck. “Can you take me someplace to get some grub?”

“Eh.”

“Spike?”

“Yeah?” he turns back after he began walking away.

“Can I borrow some money?”

“Huh?”

Planet Cybertron
On Cybertron, in a city that stands upon the beauty and wisdom of the Cybertronian philosophy within the old city of Iacon, after many wars it still stood, after countless invasions it remained as the Autobots. A building in the city falls from the normal decor of the surrounding structures. It’s not a high rising building, but low with the ground like a small shelter. Mini-Con’s hike around the outside and this building seems built for them and Omnicons. It’s a gleaming amber temple of sorts with steps leading to the giant twin doors for normal Transformers entrance, along the steps ran a rail of metal alloy.

Inside the décor was better suited from the old Greek times. The door lead to three halls, one to the left, right, and forward. Forward was the actual room of this building. Up more steps and through another twin doors.

The room held a small group of Transformers and nine humans. Many Mini-Con’s held their positions on the floors as they spoke with each other in small groups sometimes with each other or sometimes a human would come to join their company. The robots enjoyed the pleasures of the center structure of a fountain spouting distilled energon illuminating the walls with a gentle sapphire ripples, it collected in a pool around the center statute beneath a circular placement of benches some sat warming themselves, though the energon held no actual temperature reading. In this chamber five actual Transformers stood in the room, one spoke with gold, silver, and bronze Mini-Cons Sonar, Runway, and Jetstorm while three others spoke among others and a visiting human, Greg. The fifth Transformer-a short one-stood off by himself admiring a wall of no specific interest. This little Transformer made his way for the twin doors as if on daily business.

“Runt, where do you think you’re going?”

He turns back to the Autobot that spoke. “My name is Skybomb. And I’m going out. I can’t stand being cooped up in this place for another nano-click,” his voice was not as screechy as Starscream’s, but he bared a striking resemblance; it was easy to assume he was a very young Decepticon. He made his way for the doors.

“Oh no, you don’t.” the Autobot caught up to him and picked him up by the shoulder.

“Cut it out!” he struggles trying to kick the Autobot, but his legs don’t reach.

“It’s your job, like the rest of us to guard these ‘bots. And you’re not going to slack now, especially with the impending threat Megatron poses.”

He gives a huff and turns away. To show he agreed, even if he didn’t like the terms, he crossed his arms, “Fine.”

“Good,” the Autobot turns back to the others, “Now what were you saying?”

“Stupid Autobot’s,” he mumbled to himself.

Jolt with his blinding orange splashed armor, tilts his head concerned and sympathetic.

“I know what you mean,” the man responds.

Planet Earth
Ocean city
Upon impacting the wall Spike had no other choice but to slide down the full twenty feet until he was on his two feet. He stumbled aside trying not to hit the wall and ricochet off and trip on his own feet, he obtained his bearings and moved aside before a large fists was thrust down into his wake. He hopped twisting three hundred sixty degrees in mid air and turned back, hopping backwards as he went.

“All right, all right! Time out,” he called, breathlessly putting two hands together in the universal sign.

Hot Shot pulled himself back and stood upright.
“Spike, c’mon, I wasn’t even getting started.”

The human wearing typical lab coat over his daily clothing shook his head. “I was in here working out when you showed up. Cut me some slack or I’ll call Bolt to my aid.”

Hot Shot grimaced at the name. “Bolt huh?” He turns away scanning over the training chamber for any useful weapon. I hope I never have to work with that kid again, he thought but said nothing. He was lucky in the least.

“So, you haven’t told me why you popped up,” he reminded the tall yellow Autobot. “Said you would after I gave you a spare, I even went easy on you.”

Hot Shot scoffed and glared back at him. “Slaggin’ right you did, Mr. Time out.”

Spike raised his eyebrows. “Watch your language or you’ll be serving Death Training for Ops.”

He chuckled. Only one individual had served Death Training for his profane mouth to Optimus and the kid had since subdued his colorful vocabulary when in the presence of the Autobot leader. “To answer your question, by the by, I just needed a little action.”

Spike stepped away from the wall moving towards some of the various equipments he was partial to training with. “Is that all?”

The Autobot shrugged. “Pretty much.” But he did have other reasons for seeking a distraction from the daily norm, though he didn’t want to consider it let alone speak it aloud with his own voice simulator.
“Uh-huh, pretty much.”

“That’s what you say.” He turned back to Hot Shot flexing his arm.
“But I’ll be truthful and say I too noticed something’s seems to be on The Prime’s mind. Right? That’s what you’re thinking.”

He glared at the human. “How is it you do that?”

Spike rolled onto his back jogging his legs in midair. “I’ve worked with you fellows for pretty much all my life and you think you can keep secrets from me?” He laughed. “Come on, admit it.”

“Yeah, all right,” he sighed, just to shut him up. “What’s your take on the head honcho? He’s been ill at ease before but I haven’t seen him like this since, I think Strike-con. It has me unsettled and I’m pretty sure Sparkplug’s feelin’ the same way, you know how close he is to Optimus, but he doesn’t want to mention it. Come to think of it, it might make matters worse.”

“You should go talk to him,” Spike blurted out.

Hot Shot waited before clarifying. “Me?”

Spike stretched his legs out and bent one way then the other. “You’re vice, it’s your job to inquiry upon his ill feelings.”

“Aw, yeah.” He crossed his arms and looked down to his gray feet. “Yeah. But, I kinda already know what’s buggin’ him, but I’m worried makin’ him tell me more about it might dredge up some painful memories.” He looked to Spike’s curious face. “Oh—uh, not that he might know anything or that I’m implying on any issue!”

“Okay.” Spike got to his feet and straighted his lab coat out. “Maybe you should just talk to him, friend to friend, but to ease some of his woe. It’d probably do more good than anything else, right?”

“I don’t think he wants to talk right now.” He recalled Optimus was in the central tower sending out a formal letter to a friend. “Just givin’ him some time to think could help more. I don’t know.” He scratched his helmet, a human response mimicked after so many years he never realized he did it anymore. “I’ll probably snag him later and take him to the oil bar, even if I have to drag him.”

“You’re worried too,” Spike pointed out. “Or else you wouldn’t be here picking a fight with me.” He slid a foot out from him raising a hand over head and stuck out his other arm, a fighting poise his father had taught him. “Come and challenge me, I will make you regret.”

Hot Shot glared down on him. “No. Your’re just asking for it.” He stamped his foot where Spike stood and swung out a fist. Faster than he could react the human had leapt high onto his arm and dashed up, kicking him across the forehead before whirling away in once graceful motion.

“Big lug head with bolt weldings, did they not put you back together properly when they hauled your broken mainframe in? Shame shame, I’ll have to scold First Aid for this atrocity.” He ran away from Hot Shot as the Autobot lunged for him.

“Don’t get mad at him for the mistakes of others. It twas the Decepticons fault I fell apart. That, and my shabby design.”

Spike jumped high kicking off the nearby wall to ascend above the Autobots head. “For shame on me then—hey, what are you saying about my designs? You’re saying they’re no good?”

Hot Shot swung a fist out. “No, they’re good. Except the guy following them couldn’t read your lousy Cybertronian. Even in writing your ascent is terrible.” His swing missed as Spike controlled the fall of his body. Dang the kid was good when it came to descent.

Spike did a back flip from Hot Shot’s pursuit, grabbing the steel floor with his hands as he retreated. “Yeah, whatever. You blame me for your flaws. I’d say it but I’d be insulting ten percent of our allies.”

“Then maybe you should keep your mouth shut.” Hot Shot slammed his fist down endeavoring to guage Spike into another frontal assault. It worked but the human had jumped to him and backed off with one motion and spun away.

“Okay, I’m done for now.” He fixed his collar as he walked away. “Thanks for the exercise. You should go see Optimus now if he’s done with that letter.”

Hot Shot straightened up. “I’ll go put in my two cents at central control but I probably won’t talk to him.” He followed Spike to the doorway of the training chamber. “You’ve definitely improved since last we fought, I’m almost glad we’re on the same team.”

Spike sniggered. “Yeah. Too bad I can’t say the same for you.”

Hot Shot groaned. “You try and compliment someone and they throw it back at you.” He stepped after Spike out into the outer hallway leading to the basement levels.

Along one of the higher streets above where Spike and Hot Shot had been training, Veren was walking along just exploring the city with Sonic Boom. The two wandering, it looked as though they had been conversing. In real life, Sonic Boom was teasing Veren.

“Shut up, Mini-Con—”

“Well, well, well.” A rough cowboy type voice came.

Veren glanced over at a Decepticon. She would have run, but he was a tame Decepticon, that she assured herself. She watched him curiously to see what he had planned.

The bright red Decepticon was not alone. To either side stood a smaller Decepticon. They glared with eyes of blue and green.

The one whom spoke first went on, “Whad’re ya’ll doin’ here, human?”

“Walking. How are you?”

“I’m great—‘cept’in until this human showed up. Right Masher? Harrow?”

“Very nice day indeed, Scrapper,” Harrow nodded. He was a purple Decepticon with tiny red eyes. His armor was the remains of a sick car.

The green eyed Decepticon was a lime green, yellow body underneath his loud armor. He was without armor or vehicle. “Didn’t the other humans tell you? No one it to set foot in this area.”

Veren brought her head back as though motioning she was confused. “No one mentioned,” she admitted.

“I’m sure they would,” she crossed her arms frowning behind her helmet. “But I’m curious, so please enlighten me. What are three tough Decepticon’s like you doing working with Autobot’s? Won’t Megatron be missing you?”

“Undercover!” Masher growled. “What does an insect know?”

“I understand great bounds tensed in lies and snapped by betrayal. I ask you, what do you three know of loss?” She slacked her weight to one leg and crossed her arms. Behind her Sonic Boom peered over shoulder giving his deepening impression that none should take lightly.

They were driven speechless. They didn’t know what kind of loss he meant, or if it had had an effect on them through their engineering as Decepticons, to a race linked tight to betrayal. The icy glare of the Mini-Con was deepening too.

“Hello, my name is VeR, and I like pie. Pie is good for VeR, which VeR likes pie.”

Veren’s sudden statement was further confusing. They clearly had no idea what they were messing with. They were dumfounded to a humans whose mental state was caught somewhere between the flipping of a faulty TV.

Sonic Boom either became bored or ticked off at Veren and bit her shoulder. Hard.

“Ow!” she took her helmet off struck him with it. When he pretended to topple over, Veren yelled and jumped on him hitting him over the head with the present he had presented her.

Furthering the actions of this individual, Harrow and Masher were very lost. Scrapper broke out into laughter. The two stare at him waiting to see his response.

“Hay, I like this human! You never know what he’s gonna do! Ha, he even had me fooled. I thought fur’a second there he was a male.”

“Sir?” By now it’s obvious Scrapper was their gang leader.

“I so enjoy morale…and sparring between friends!” He moved over to kneel and pinched Veren by the shoulder of her shirt and Sonic Boom by a shoulder blade to pull them away from the other. “Hay, you’re okay in my book, human,” he chuckled.

She looks over at him, “My, how you changed.”

“Gah uk erh.”

“What is this, a Mini-Con?” he looks over at Sonic Boom.

“Erh.”

“Yeah.”

“He’s yours?” he makes a sound like a whistle. It sounded more like a falling warhead to Veren. “He’s mean looking. I gotta hand it to you, human, you know how tah pick’em.”

“The whole reason I quit Megatron’s gang and join the Autobot’s. I just give that mean rough image so no’one would know the truth,” he waves a finger disciplinary style. “Now don’t go’round spreadin rumors. Or else I’ll have to hunt you down and smear your brains into the concrete.”

“Now you sound like a Decepticon. But why’d you tell us?”

His mouth was covered-by a guard like some kind of knight’s helmet; however, his optics smile. “I like ya, human-“

“Veren.”

“VeR,” he chuckles. “I know faces. Yours is one I can trust.”

“Sier.”

Sonic Boom turned his head at an angle against his chest, as if this helped him to see clearer through these characters. The corners of his mouth bared sharp fangs. Events had already taken place and they were blind.

9
Two-months passed since the school bus incident. No signal from Mini-Cons but this gave Veren the chance to heal. She regenerated much quicker than a normal human should and Spike checking on her responded:

“Outstanding.”

Veren felt there was another reason for her remarkable recovery. In no time, the hair was growing back and there wasn’t even a scar. She was relieved and felt this would be nothing more than her own skin before Demolishor had struck her.

During the two-months, she felt she was learning more and more about her Mini-Con. Sonic Boom followed her almost wherever she went. He became her constant companion and closes friend. The two were allowed to live in the Cybertron Ocean city dormitories, and they were grateful. Veren for once had someplace to live where a check did not rule her way of life. Some of Autobots, even Decepticons in residence became friendly towards her.

She cherished Sonic Boom though. He was special.

Optimus kept side notes of the two, aside from Decepticon threats with Mini-Con’s to locate, the constant and careful mining of energon, and the worry of everyone’s welfare—he was surprised he had time to take a look at the two when they were caught in the middle of a fight. He still had trouble believing what he would see, but he felt he was himself working undercover. He wondered about the possibilities of Sonic Boom and why he had chosen a human as a partner. He decided not to take a one-on-one talk with the Mini-Con, for one he didn’t understand his language. However, when he saw Sonic Boom on his own hunting for Veren, he would sense a distressing signal to his own aura. He was a little worried towards the raptor Mini-Con.

Veren and Sonic Boom’s play became rough as they ran about the city, if not together it was sure they were hunting the other. It was strange watching the one that could wound Megatron so easily then trying to fend off a human smaller than him. They were constantly getting into trouble, considered a nuisance, but in good humor.

Optimus would sigh shaking his head and respond:

“We never had days like this since Kicker.” Spike would just laugh.

Veren didn’t wonder too much who this Kicker was. She was more concerned about her own welfare and Sonic Boom’s. And everyone did call him Sonic Boom.

However, in the time befriending some of the workers among the city Veren couldn’t help but wonder why the Mini-Con’s would not associate with her or Sonic Boom. They even avoided her when the big Mini-Con was not in sight.

She would enter a room somewhere and any Mini-Cons would either leave or watch the two suspiciously. It was like they didn’t trust them, or maybe it was Sonic Boom. Also, everywhere they went an Autobot or Decepticon would be following them. A Decepticon with stealth capabilities thought he was being real smooth. At least, until Sonic Boom dumped a bucket of white paint on his head. After that, Veren didn’t seem to mind being stalked so much. They were treated as friends and welcomed, but she felt that they were keeping them close for a reason.

She spoke to Spike about this. He said he honestly didn’t know what was going on, that Optimus wouldn’t say anything. This was all true. But it didn’t ease her one bit. When she looked at Sonic Boom, she felt he knew something. All he would do was give her a curious glance.

she decided one day, she should ask the powerhouse of the Autobot knowledge. Optimus Prime. He was their leader and would most undoubtedly know something if anything about the situation, specifically after his fist reaction when he saw Sonic Boom. It deeply bothered Veren. It nipped at her side like a tick. However, she felt no foreboding fear in Sonic Boom. When she first saw him, she wondered ‘what the heck? Where did my Mini-Con go?’ But she kindly turned to Sonic Boom, one day, when he was most affectionately clingy:

“Want to race?”

“Aroo!” he replied with an enthusiastic growl and ran after her as she ran off.

The race was only meant to throw Sonic Boom off. Sometimes cruel to the other in their plan, their friendship, however, flourished like wild flowers. They would always forgive the other.

When it came time for Veren to up and ditch Sonic Boom, he stopped in a small area with grass and bushes as decoration. He took a look around not surprised or disappointed when he found he could not find Veren. He merely walked on to start the great search for her, clomping off over a bridge that lay across a small meadow of grass with a blue lake beneath it.

Veren made sure he would not find and follow her. She watched him from a lower area hidden by a high wall. When Sonic Boom walked off in the opposite direction, she exhaled. It was time for her to go on an even greater search—a search for answers. She took an escalator for the higher areas where much construction was still going on. It was never difficult to find a large, bright red robot among all the construction and cleared space. She takes her time, casually walking up to Optimus. “Hey! Bro!”

He turns around broken from his thought and a little confused by her call to him. “Veren?” Of course it was Veren. Who else would have called him? He politely responds, “Yes, what do you need?”

She stops advancing turning her head. She was glad she was wearing her helmet, she didn’t want him reading her face. “I was curious to my Mini-Con. Sonic Boom.”

Optimus was worried she would ask about being constantly followed. She had every right to ask. After what the Decepticon pulled, being caught with his red flag up in the open. “What about him?”

“I noticed the other Mini-Con’s-“

An alarm sounded suddenly. Not a blaring annoying alarm, more like one that worked on the same frequency of a dog whistle, but Veren did hear it.

“What is that?”

“The alarm.” That was a stupid answer. Optimus clarified before he would run off. “It alerts us of Decepticon attack, an emergency meeting, or if a Mini-Con signal has been detected,” he took off after that heading for a large building. The Omnicons looked up from their work, unsure if they should continue.

Veren chased after Optimus. “Sonic Boom! Top level!” she hoped he was nearby and would hear her.

The Prime entered the main control room of Cybertron’s Ocean city. It had gone through many changes over the years, after many attacks and alterations; it still maintained a certain style. A large computer sat in this room; to either side were huge windows to view either side of Cybertron; to the ceiling floated a crystal clear hologram of Earth and it’s moon, full color to date picture.

“Spike. Do you have a lock yet?”

“No sir,” he typed feverishly watching the screen. “It’s a blimper.”

Optimus groaned. Blimper’s were annoying Mini-Con’s. Their signal would constantly fade, and on top of that locking on was impossible. In an attempt to protect themselves, the readings would sometimes display across the glob stretching as far as seven thousand miles. “Try and get a basic lock. We can go from there.”

“Does anyone smell rain?”

Optimus glanced over at Veren. She had followed him and stood looking a bit bemused, her helmet resting under one arm. He turns back to the computer and Spike.

“I swear. I can smell fresh leaves, earth-so weird,” she was clearly excited by whatever she was experiencing. Optimus just ignored her concentrating on the data Spike was trying to find. She sounded anxious from her impulsive thought wave. “I want to go there. It sounds like a wonderful place to visit.”

“South America.” She spoke some coordinates from her lips that were not held in her mind. “Balmy,” she said.

He quickly typed these in and upon entering, a chime answered. “I got it!”

“What?”

“I was right?” she sounded surprised.

Spike spun around, “There’s no time to explain. Optimus, I got the ‘bots gathering in Axis garage so we can get out there and find that Mini-Con.” He took off before Veren could ask anything. She looked over at Optimus for an answer.

“Stay here Veren. We’ll talk after the Mini-Con is rescued,” he didn’t think she would follow or call after him when he left, if she did he would have ignored her. It was time for the warriors to go to their work.

Veren frowned crossing her arms over her chest. “Talk after the Mini-Con’s rescued? Like I care?”

“Aroo.” Sonic Boom walked over to her. It was unclear if he had been listening of watching during the time. But it was obvious he wasn’t staying behind.

Optimus entered the garage to find his warriors already assembled. Spike had taken his place on High Wire-the Mini-Con had taken the form of a slim motorcycle for the resent years and had updated his robot form as well. Spike sat on the motorcycle wearing an armored body suit that had thick plates covering him around his lower legs, waist, chest, lower arms, shoulder, and a helmet with face guard and spiked antenna spreading from the back. The Autobot symbol printed on the center of his chest like a dial.

Prime immediately caught site of Veren with Sonic Boom patiently waiting. “You two-“ he decided he would argue after he sent someone out to locate the Mini-Con. He took command showing he was ready to give orders. “Alright men, listen up. For our next mission we want to keep things as discrete as possible. So the following will be joining me. Hot Shot.”

“Of course.”

“Strongarm and Cliffjumper.”

“Yes sir.”

“Spike and High Wire.”

“Let’s get to it.” Spike revved High Wire’s purring motor just to get his morale into focus.

“Sparkplug and Dial will also work with us.”

Dial was a pink and red Mini-Con. He had tiny eyes under his helmet and a pointed head.

“The Mini-Con is the main priority. We find it and return. Avoid the Decepticon’s. I do not believe there will be any civilian areas out there, but just in case. Is that understood?”

“Yes sir.” The warriors chorused.

Cliffjumper transformed and was all ready rolling himself up onto the ramp. “I won’t wait up for you,” he announced.

“We’ll join you shortly.” Optimus watched as the white and red stripped Lamborghini as he seemed to slip into another dimension.

“Hey, the Decepticon’s will be there so we’ll be there.”

Optimus turns to Veren’s arrogant reply. “No, you two are civilians under the Autobot’s protection. You’ll stay here.”

Veren glances over at Sonic Boom’s glare. “Knew there had to be a catch.” He kept his head lowered as he turned to her gurgling a reply as though learning from her.

“Catch?” Strongarm took his turn sliding onto the ramp.

“Homes have catches. That’s what I’ve leaned,” she shrugs. “But if we have to stay, I guess we’ll make ourselves comfortable….” She grabs Sonic Boom as he pivots. Optimus couldn’t react in time. Sonic Boom dashed over to the ramp in his full robot mode and slid into the next world.

“What in the creator are those two thinking?” he snarled. His anger only flared for his worry the two would do something stupid as he had seen before.

Hot Shot sat purring waiting for his turn. But after seeing Veren and Sonic Boom’s stunt respectfully offers. “Optimus, you go on ahead and catch up with them. I’ll wait.”

“Thank you Hot Shot.” At his command he slips down to the ground in his semi-uniform. He eases onto the ramp slipping into the same gate Veren and Sonic Boom used. He groans replying, “This is going to be a long day.”

Veren finally coached herself into opening her eyes to see what was going on. She had been hugging Sonic Boom around the back worried she might fall. When she opened her eyes, she watched the path ahead of them in amazement. Beams of lights all over the place, they were all aimed forward.

“Grumm…” Sonic Boom wasn’t a motorcycle, but he was still going someplace as he stood on his feet. He shifted his weight upon the ground and Veren could feel him tense. He was maintaining his balance. She wondered what would happen if he fell over. The path Sonic Boom stood was white, the rest was blue, it reminded her of an underwater aquarium. A light in their path swirled like a galaxy and Sonic Boom went right into it.

Optimus Prime emerged on the other side of the gate. It only took him five minutes to travel between Ocean city and South America. He rearranged his body to stand tall turning his gigantic form to search just over the canopy if he could sight any sign of Veren or Sonic Boom. He quickly found the tire tracks of the motorcycle on the soft earth still moist from rain. “I just missed them.”

Hot Shot and Spike caught up behind him. “—Did you find them?” Hot Shot turns to Optimus after he unfolds and turns around.

“No,” he sighs, satisfying himself with one more survey.

“They’ll probably be out looking for the Mini-Con.” Spike revs High Wire. “I can look for them while the rest of you keep an eye out for it.”

“Thank you Spike.”

Spike revs High Wire one more time, then swerves around Hot Shot’s feet as he takes off the way Sonic Boom’s tire tracks lead.

Optimus opens up his radio calling. “Attention Autobot’s. While searching for the Mini-Con, keep a detection open for Veren and Sonic Boom.”

“You know, they remind me of someone.”

“Please don’t say it.” Optimus gives a sigh shaking his head. “Mainframe aches all over the place again.”

Hot Shot laughs as he puts himself into drive. His motor whirls as he changes gears and drives off. “You’ll get used to it again.”

“I’m just worried they’ll get into too much trouble to handle.”

Elsewhere, Veren was riding on Sonic Boom. She used the blade from his shoulder blade to cut the vines that would get in their way.

The rain forest was beautiful, it was green from rain; there were beautiful bright plants and animals, the sky was bright blue in noon, clouds dotted the sky here in there as white sheets; birds called making noises and other various animals could be heard farther off.

Sonic Boom muttered something as ‘beautiful’.

“I know,” she could hear scurrying animals ahead of them and birds breaking into flight. “I would love to live here, but the humidity just isn’t suiting,” she sighs, “But it’s just so beautiful.”

“Hrmm…” his duel headlights gleamed faintly. This place was a marvel. Why had he forgotten?

Meanwhile, as the Autobot’s searched for the Mini-Con Optimus Prime called in for a status report. In the years of reacquiring the Hour Glass robots that had slumbered in fear of the great threat to life the Autobots had failed to construct an effective method to locating Mini-Con hibernation signals, that and sometimes Mini-Cons bedded down wherever they could if it seemed like a safe location. But the Mini-Con robot technology was still as a mystery to the Autobots as their own history was to them. Once before the secondary teams could take off to locate the hibernating robots on their own until a decade back, when Megatron came about searching for Mini-Cons again determined to find some use out of these abundant machines. It was only because those that lived outside of Cybertron cities were pacifists and easy to collect in cities, unfortunately among civilians.

“Has anyone found anything yet?” Prime inquired on the radio.

~ “No sir,” Hot Shot replies. ~

~ “I haven’t seen anything yet either.” Spike cruised along on High Wire through the trees and brush. “No hair or feather of Veren or raptor.” ~

~ Hot Shot made his intentions clear in case Optimus had other ideas. “I’m checking down this river, I think I saw something shiny there someplace.” ~

Veren and Sonic Boom were silent as they listened to the conversation from the Mini-Con’s radio behind his motorcycle face. They had stopped under a large tree, a path of sliced salad behind them from the thick foliage. Veren leaned Sonic Boom against the great bark of the tree holding the side of the helmet as the Autobot’s kept conversing. After a while of listening, she whispered to him.

“What do you think?” He growled a quiet in reply. “I thought so too,” she revved his motor kicking away from the tree. She popped a wheelie misjudging her weight and fell off Sonic Boom backwards with a wet thud. She groaned feeling wet mud seep into her shirt. “Lovely.”

“You come back here!” Veren jumped up and ran after him. “I’m gonna bring out the can opener if you don’t listen to me!” After only a few steps she halts gasping.

* * *
“Why did you do it?” a voice sobs anguished. “Why?”
* * *

Veren jumped on a thick sturdy tree branch that ascended a little above the canopy itself. She looked around. She couldn’t find her Mini-Con after he had run away. She lay down and stretched out on the limb crossing her arms behind her head facing away from the trunk. “I hope something exciting happens soon, I’m getting bored.”

Sonic Boom jumped down onto the limb next to her shaking the tree and causing the branch to groan under his weight. “Grerm,” he growled in greeting.

“Hello Boom,” she replied in a bland tone to him.

He growled to her, “Ara uup kess cantpor.”

“Hey, it’s not like my wish’s ever come true,” she sat up facing him. “Sonic Boom, I’m so lucky to have you as my partner.” After this impulsive sentence she stands and motions over the canopy to a river some distance off. “Now, shall we look for that Mini-con?”

He nodded deep. “Eh.”

They jumped off to the next tree as they searched. The branches and leaves in the canopy were thick, Veren could almost stand on them. Sonic Boom had a little more trouble, most branches snapped immediately under his feet. He wadded through them following his lighter ally as she danced along.

Strongarm stood on a mossy rise of rock and vegetation. At first he thought he would fall through, but it appeared that this vegetation was attached to rock and soil. It was pleasant and cool to stand on, he made note to visit this area some time when he had free time.

~ “Strongarm.” Optimus voice came over his radio strong and proud. ~

“Yes sir?” he looked off as birds took flight. “Huh?”

~ “Any word from Spike?” ~

“Sir, with ado respect, if I had come across anything I would have notified you immediately.”

~ On the other end there was an uneasy silence. “Sorry. It’s just the pressure-“ ~

“And the humidity,” he smirks.

~ “Contact Spike and see if he has anything. If not, join up with him and work together to find Veren and that Mini-Con of hers.” ~

“Oh, right away sir,” he became a little anxious but paused before taking off back to the forest. “Hmm?” he looks over at the smoke in the trees. “Fire?”

Veren stopped by a river letting the blade Sonic Boom had given her hang off her belt. It was easier to carry this weapon this way, whenever she held it in hand it would cut her palm. The river turned through the tree covered riverbank from upstream flowing by, the water was clear enough the different grains of sand below were visible below. She bent down to drink the water as Sonic Boom sat on a rock scratching his nose.

The handy Mini-Con had fixed her helmet so it had a mouth-part where it would split open allowing her to speak clearly or get fresh air, or if she decided to eat something. This was an improvement if a malfunction should occur mid battle she wouldn’t need to risk removing her only safety device. He raised his head, took survey then lowered it again placing his cheek to palm and resting elbow to knee.

Veren thought she was in heaven. The water was crisp and clean, it had the taste of minerals and earth. She sat up quickly when she heard a twig snap in the brush. She listened for a moment unsure if she had imagined it. She pulled her blade off her belt and listened as Sonic Boom walked over next to her, his head low to the ground as he emitted a low rumble from his chest. She stepped closer to a large bush, her blade to her side held at a tilt, she reached out for the bush the twig snap originated from. She barley touched it when three colorful birds flew into her face before they took flight into the sky. She stepped back blinking as she watched them fly high into the sky, her helmet kept her from momentary blindness, but she was still startled. She turned her head to Sonic Boom as he stood off chuckling in his gritty voice. She smiled through the helmet’s mouthpiece at him as she put the blade back to her side.

There was a loud crash behind her and a loud roar. A jaguar jumped out onto Veren’s back pinning her down. He snarled lowering his snout about to tear her back out. Veren was able to put a confused, annoyed look on her helmet face. Before the jaguar’s claws could touch her, Sonic Boom rammed him to the temple. The jaguar jumped back as Sonic Boom helped Veren up.

“Thanks I-“ she pushed Sonic Boom out of the way as the jaguar came back. She tried to pull her blade up, but jaguar with its claw’s out stretched knocked the blade out of her hand.

While Veren stood stunned looking for the lost weapon, the jaguar made contact with the ground reeling around. It gave a roar as it swiped Veren hard across her lower chest with its claws.

She gave a cry as she flew back hard striking the ground. The jaguar was bigger than she packed with muscle, bone and teeth. She sat up trying to put her hand over the wound. Blood seeped from her shirt over her body, the pain was excruciating which told her something was very wrong. She stood back up and put her glare on the jaguar. The animal stalked around her waiting for its next chance to strike. Its prey wounded, it leapt for Veren’s throat. She ducked the large cat scooping her blade back up and turned to face it. The cat had moved much quicker than anticipated. It struck her hand scooping the blade with its claws and flung it away. Veren heard Sonic Boom give out a shrill cry, she had to see what happened so turned.

Sonic Boom held his shoulder, the joint that spun around when he transformed sparked wildly. The blade was not without target. He shifted his head glaring up.

Veren lunged to the ground as the cat leapt over her again. This time, when the jaguar spun around rearing its claws and fangs to strike, She had a surprise. She upper cut the animal across the snout hard. The cat yowled in pain nearly doing a complete back flip but instead landed on its side. It struggled with the ground tearing up soil and blades of grass. After biting it’s own tongue, it scrambled over itself to stand again.

Sonic Boom rammed it once again with his head and crest to throw it down. He loomed over the jaguar and leaned over roaring from his maw, “GRAWWWW!”

The jaguar growled, realizing this prey was too dangerous. It turned and ran away, snarling at its own failure.

“Thank you.”

Sonic Boom looked back at Veren as she put her blade to her hip. He glanced at her side and gurgled tilting his head.

She walked over to the river taking her over shirt by the bottom and ripped a long piece of cloth from it. She soaked it in the river, then wringed it out to wrap around her side under her over shirt, where the jaguar had struck her. She winced as she tied it and slacked it, then tied it off.

“Arum. Pasal coibbil gess tacker questa.”

“You sense the Mini-con’s close?” He grumbled an affirmative. “Then let’s go.” She began walking, but stopped and turned her head slightly to Sonic Boom. “Are you all right?”

His shoulder sparked. He nodded.

“I can always try my hand in repairing you.”

Sonic Boom growled shaking his head.

“Alright, if you think you can make it.” They walked away up the river turning at the bend and following the rivers trail through the forest. Veren left behind a fresh trail of blood on the grass from her wound.

Spike sat on Strongarm’s hood talking through the radio in his helmet. “Yep. Yep. Yep, yep, yep,” he turns to High Wire as he stood by Strongarm. “I think we might have a lock on your friend.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere up the river,” he turns to enter Strongarm. High Wire grabs his arm and he turns to the Mini-Con startled. “What—”

“We must be…careful,” he gently releases his arm keeping his head low.

“High Wire. You feeling okay?” He shakes his head. “This isn’t like you.”

“Talk about it while we drive. Come on, Spike, get in.”

“Uh, just a sec Strongarm,” he turns back to High Wire. “Are you okay?”

“Maybe,” he lowers his head deeper from Spike’s gaze. Something terrible was bothering him.

Veren stopped to take another drink of water. She was drinking more and more. This time the two took a pause at a curving stretch of river. At this location the water seemed very choppy.

Sonic Boom growled worried. “Baroo.”

“I’m okay Sonic Boom.” She stands straight turning to him. “Do you think I would let such a little scratch hurt this mission?”

He growled softly.

“I’ve been worse,” she stood up, wincing from pain, and walked next to Sonic Boom. “Do you hear that?”

“Hrmm?” he twitched his ears looking around. He could hear a faint sound, like gushing or growling.

They ran to turn the bend upstream of the river. There was a loud roaring coming from the large waterfall, the spray crashing from rocky and mudded slopes to the river below causing a foaming mist where a rainbow could be seen looking misty like it was evaporating.

A line appeared in the mouth area of Veren’s helmet. It opened to show her mouth smiling. She looked back at Sonic Boom who was standing behind her.

“Hmm,” he looked at her and nodded his head to the side making a low growl.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. They stood there watching the fall.

“Maroo…errr…” Sonic Boom growled.

“Yes, Sonic Boom. This is what human’s call one of the beautiful wonder’s of our world.”

The two couldn’t help but stare at the wonderful sight so rare.

Sonic Boom’s eyes gleamed yellow reflecting the fall in his glass like eyes over the brim of his short snout. He had seen this somewhere before, he couldn’t place where. It bothered him to think he knew and not actually bring up a memory. He supposed it was just as well.

Veren crouched down on her knee holding her side grimacing in deep pain burning her side.

“I know, give me a second to catch my breath.” He stood straight patiently waiting. Veren did catch her breath and replied. “Go get the Mini-con.”

“Hrmm.” Sonic Boom nodded, then turned and walked to the base of the fall. He looked up watching carefully for a moment. As soon as something flickered among the mist, it triggered him into leaping up to the side of the waterfalls midsection. He perched in the soft mud and rock looking into the water churning over the rock run by.

Veren watched him from the shoreline.

He glanced at her, then, plowed directly into the waterfalls swarming spray and current, water crashing over the rocks, only a second passed before he exploded from the waterfall. He dived into the pool at the base creating a thunderous splash.

She walked to the edge as he floated to the surface. Sonic Boom swam over to where she stood waiting, only his tail and head visible above the water like a crocodile. “Hey,” she said. “You okay?”

He growled. “Graw.” He handed her the Mini-Con plate.

Veren examined it as Sonic Boom pulled himself from the water. She turned it over, “Thanks Boom—” she was broken off by the sound of crashing, snapping trees. They both looked up to see Demolishor in vehicle mode driving from the trees, tearing them down. He gave out a war bellow.

“Thank you for leading me straight to the Mini-Con! Now, you have no choice! Hand over the Mini-Cons or I’ll end your life here!” He held his saw up high whirling it among the leaves.

Veren watched at him calmly. She stood straight and moved in front of Sonic Boom. “What do you mean we have no choice? He kicked your leader guys butt.”

“Shut up! I saw you were attacked and now you’re wounded. Now give it to me,” he smashed a tree over with the claws under him as he slid forward.

Veren put the Mini-con in the bandage around her side setting it against her back. The two pull out their blades holding them up as defense, if he continued his advance. “I implore you to stand back.” She turned her head to Sonic Boom. “Contact Optimus. Tell him we need help.”

“Transform!” He loomed over Veren. “Last warning you! Give me the Mini-Con or I’ll take it from you,” he narrowed his green optics down on them.

“I’ll be there in the next five minutes! I’ll contact the others and send them over! Just hold out!” his voice was in alarm.

“Goob ii ast durga.” Sonic Boom responded to the transmission. He twists his head back.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me we were having a party?” Cyclonus yelled as he swooped high above the tree lining. “Wha ha ha haaa...it’s that human again!” he sneered.

“Oh great, I didn’t invite him,” Veren responds to Cyclonus’ quip.

“Ha ha haaa—eat laser!” He shot at Veren. She protected herself with her arm’s crossing them in front of her face.

“Watch where you’re shooting!” Demolishor yells at Cyclonus, nearly hit himself by a few stray beams.

“Ha you’ll live. Now for the Mini-con,” he banked turning on a dime, then swooped down to grab Veren. She jumped back and hit the blunt side of her blade to his hand. When she landed she grabbed her side and coughed in pain, she tasted salt in her mouth. “Ow, that’s it! I’m tired of you and that little toothpick!”

“Just don’t hit the Mini-Con. I’ll stand over here until you get rid of
him,” Demolishor takes a few steps back.

Veren turns to him, concern on her face. “Are you insane, Sonic Boom? I’m not going to use the poor Mini-con as a shield!” She took the time to secure it against her under the bandage which was now soaked with blood.

“Now I’ll end this!” Cyclonus shot at her aiming dead center.

“Sonic Boom, transform!”

“Rawwr…” He leapt up changing into the motorcycle. Veren jumped onto his seat wincing in pain and whimpered as they rode off.

“Oh no you don’t!” Cyclonus turns and begins shooting at her again, following their trail rather close to the ground.

“Watch out Demolishor!” Veren yelled as she sped Sonic Boom between his feet.

“Huh?” he looked down at her not understanding what was going on. Then, he looked back up at Cyclonus alarmed. “Wait, wait! Let me get out of the way first!” He jumped out Cyclonus path as he zoomed by low.

Cyclonus was the fastest helicopter anyone would ever come across. His copter tail had boosters attached to it, guns, two blades on either side, he was arrow dynamically designed, in short he was a tricked out helicopter. He laughed wildly as he chased Veren. “Here, human, human, human!”

Demolishor stood back up growling. “Grrr! I’ll skin them for this!” He transformed and went after them both.

“You know Sonic Boom. When I said Transform, I wanted to actually become one with you. Or whatever that is.”

“Obur asket till nim orall boo.”

Veren burst out, “What-what do you mean it would be pointless, we have speed, power-“

“Amma narl purga met mur beu.”

“Your booster’s won’t work? Then why didn’t you repair them?”

“Icill tur mask doorm bass, Histo-Fur.”

“Dude, you need to learn some patience.” She put her hand to her side in pain, and coughed. She groaned feeling sick with the metallic taste in her gums. “What are we going to do, now that we can’t fly?”

Cyclonus laughed descending low to weave among the trees and cut vines with his blades. “So that’s it, you can’t fly?”

Veren looked back with her helmet’s mouthpiece still open, she grinned at him. “Well, you know we can always talk this out. Helicopter to
Human.”

“Human!” He shot in front of the two.

“Marrwwww!” Sonic Boom guessed this and jumped up into a tree to drive along the branches.

Veren grit her teeth, she tried to hold in another cough and groan. “Ohh, why can’t we all just get alon-aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh Sonic Boom! What are you doing?”

He did a wheelie on a tree limb and spun around jumping at Cyclonus. He tries to shoot them down but Sonic Boom evaded the plasma landing on his side and defied gravity by driving along his side. They jumped off his section of arm landing on soft soil and drove off. Cyclonus had to ascend and make a large detour to turn around buying them time to escape.

She drove him through the bushes, the saplings and branches snapped striking her helmet over and over. When she saw Demolishor she took a direct course in his direction.

Sonic Boom watched her from the corner of his optic. He knew she was in serious trouble.

“Ahha ha haa! You cann’t run and you can’t hide! What options!” Cyclonus was already behind them firing.

A shot fired struck just behind Sonic Boom’s wheel causing him to weave wildly. He wouldn’t lose control now, no matter what.

Veren took the chance braking and sliding Sonic Boom on his side like she had done many times. She angled the brake just right skidding behind Demolishor. He halted about to spin his saw around high and slice Veren up. She jumped off Sonic Boom-who transformed immediately at her command-the gun used before to break Megatron’s weapon was now aimed directly behind Demolishor:

“Don’t move!” Veren commanded holding the rifle like she was born to. Demolishor did as she said. She spoke stern and bold, “The ammo my friend packs is limited, yet very destructive and requires a lot of work to repair. That is if you live.” She waited for Cyclonus who didn’t take long to reappear and began shooting immediately. She winced in pain ducking low. “He’s shooting at you?”

“You didn’t think he would?”

“Well, I thought, and- uh...Screw it!” Veren threw the gun at Sonic Boom striking him across the face, he fumbled to grab the weapon and aimed it for Demolishor’s head, or where it would be while he was a tractor. Veren, meanwhile, jumped into the pilot’s position on Demolishor and took the controls. “Okay, he’s at shooting you. I’ll just even the score and trim those wings of his…”

Demolishor resisted at first, “Hey, you can’t-“

”Come on! He deserves this!”

“Rerrrr…” Sonic Boom mimicked the sound of the jaguar and loaded a cartridge into his rifle. After this Demolishor cooperated.

Veren took the control’s making sure she had Demolishor’s saw in check. “Here, stupid, stupid, stupid…” she mocked Cyclonus’ chime.

Cyclonus passed just over Demolishor aiming at his cockpit. “Dead aim-”

“You got it!” Veren caused the saw to swing around right before Cyclonus could fire and sliced him across the side dealing decent damage. He screamed in terrible pain ascending and spinning around at the canopy as if he had little control from his helicopter wings. He spun around flying away, but descended snapping trees and generated an ear splitting crack when he hit the ground. Birds’ rose forth taking flight as smoke bellowed from the area Cyclonus disappeared in.

“You’ll get used to it!” She hops off onto the soft soil walking on assured Sonic Boom still held him at bay. “Come on Sonic Boom, let’s go find Optimus now.”

“Rum!” he hopped away from Demolishor keeping his aim on the Decepticon with hot suspicion. He moved his rifle over into the slot on his upper back and turned away.

Veren limped across some trampled spruce holding her side. A loud explosion came with a high screech of pain. “Sonic Boom?” She didn’t have to turn around as she witness the Mini-Con flying to the front to land on his face and rolled over before coming to a stop on his chest, his foot curled pitifully under his other thigh as his body smoked. “Boom!” She held her side though it did little for her pain.

“Transform!” Demolishor yelled standing and crunching branches beneath his feet and against his sharp shoulders. “That Mini-Con is mine now!” He reached for the plate tied to Veren’s back.

She could hear him and spun around hurting herself in the process. She was about to hold her side from the sudden shock when she spun, but Demolishor’s finger bumped her side as he originally was trying to grab the plate there. She was sent into an explosion of pain, collapsing to her knees clutching her side and groaning. She muttered something inaudible or less than verbal clenching her jaw. Blood drooled between her teeth and she was only thankful the mouthpiece to her helmet was open to allow some relief to her suffocation.

Megatron moved out to join Demolishor. “Good work, Demolishor. Now we have the Mini-Cons and this human.” He looks down at Veren who was on her good side, a puddle of sticky blood all around her and on her and streaking her helmet.

Demolishor grinds his claws together. “Sir, shall I skin him?”

Megatron smiles cruelly, intoxicated by the sight of pain and torture. “No.”

“Hhh…” Veren glared at Megatron unable to move, paralyzed with pain. She tried to mutter something. What she was trying to snarl was ‘collapsed lung’.

“It shall be my pleasure alone,” he reached down to pick Veren up to twist her body in two—someone yelled out behind him. He turned around at the wrong time.

“Get your grubby hands away from her!” Hot Shot jumped out and smashed Megatron across the cheek. The Decepticon fell staggered nearly crushing Veren but instead landed on top of Sonic Boom. Demolishor spun around to shoot but Hot Shot kicked him out of the way and danced backwards. He scooped Veren up and took her to the other side of dense foliage out of Megatron’s sight.

“Where is she?” Spike yells as he ran out to meet Hot Shot.

“Here, she look’s like she’s been hurt real bad.” He laid her down near Spike and High Wire. Spike tried to hold her head up off the muddy ground.

He saw she was bleeding profusely with no clotting to the wound. “Alright. Hurry this up, I don’t think she’s going to last much longer.”

“I’ll try and make it quick, but the others are still driving around out there.” Hot Shot then turned back to fight.

“Veren, what happened to you?” She was silent, but did cough some more blood up. Aw slag! Did someone step on you?” This was a real bad joke, but Spike tried to lighten the mood, he was too alarmed by this abrupt turn of events. He looked at her side where the bandage was. A bone had cut through the cloth with dark red and black blood seeping around it. He gasped alarmed by this reality. “Your ribcage!”

“She will die if something is not done.” High Wire replies, very calm.

Sonic Boom finally made his way up to them. He groaned like a sick machine, “Ruhhh.” He was in bad shape too after being sat on. His head was cracked and some circuit’s were showing through his skull; his jaw hung a little to the side; his left eye did not light up like it should; he had a crack in his chest; his knee looked like it was shattered or the motor ripped; his tail was up, but a section did not rise were the hydraulics had been smashed. “Rawww…”

“What happened to you? What did the Decepticon’s do to her?” He was alarmed now but not frantic, more on the demanding side of ‘how could you let this happen?’

Sonic Boom growled something to him, but Spike didn’t understand.

“Huh?” Spike did notice him though. “Are you trying to tell me something?”

Sonic Boom saw this was useless if he was to help his friend. He walked over to Veren, his tail looking like it was ready to fall off. He sat down next to her.

“Are you sure about this? It could kill me.” In her delusional, blood neglected state, Veren was thinking much clearer than before. She came across the decision that this had been a stupid idea to have followed the Autobot’s when Optimus had told her not to. It was too late now.

“What?” Spike shrieked.

Veren tried to nod or confirm some way. “Alright,” she strained with this word, “partner. I trust you. Do your thing.”

“Hrmm…” Sonic Boom growled as he opened his chest. The same wire’s that came out before flowed out as he tilted his head back. They gently wrapped them selves around Veren’s side lifting her upright, by now she was very limp as though all her blood had been drained. This idea was quickly thrown aside as a few drops fell from her body to the ground, she resembled a piece of cloth being ringed out as her body was folded in preparation for Sonic Boom’s construction.

“Hey, I don’t think you should be doing that-“ High Wire stopped him.

“What?” he said.

“Murrhhhh…” Sonic Boom growled pulling Veren into his chest cavity that was dark and foreboding. He closed it up around her body sealing him self, airtight, with a muffled clamping noise similar to the door on an airplane. Spike gasped when the band’s on his arm’s glow a bright blood red light, the same as when he was choosing his new form. As Sonic Boom stood there, he disappeared in this light.

Spike gawked. “You’d think by now I’d be used to this kind of crap!”

Back to where Hot Shot was, he watched Megatron get up along with Demolishor. Megatron snarls with anger while Demolishor hold’s up his claws. Megatron’s wraith turned into a humored laugh-due to something he remembered-and the thought he had an Autobot surrounded.

“What’s so funny?” Hot Shot yells.

“You poor Autobot! Are you confused with your human friend’s gender?” He laughed even more from this comment. Demolishor gave him a worried glance.

“What?”

”You accidentally called Veren a ‘her’.” Megatron laughed.

Hot Shot grew a smile on his face, “Oh yeah, we forgot—”

The Yataghan blade zipped past Hot Shot’s face. He looked at it almost appalled. Megatron and Demolishor followed the blade as it flew on back to its master. Veren caught the blade calmly and relaxed a bit. She stood on a slight rise of dirt with Sonic Boom behind her, standing with his arms behind him as though a great old negotiator.

Veren gave an arrogant reply, “I just wanted to say somethin’.” She grinned insanely through mouth-portion of the helmet. “Demolishor might want to stand down before he gets himself hurt. Isn’t that right, Sonic Boom?”

“Hrmm…” Sonic Boom growled in agreement nodding.

“Wha-what? I thought you were dying.” He stammered.

Veren lowered her head as if to narrow her eye’s.

“I guess you’re right. Huh?” Hot Shot called for an approval.

“I thought so, at least.” She poked the muddy earth with the blade.

Megatron growled straining his voice in annoyance. “Sonic Boom? Is that your name now, Mini-Con?”

“Leave him alone, Megatron. Or I will make sure you don’t crawl away,” she held up the small rifle.

Hot Shot was alarmed by Veren’s sumptuous attitude. What’s with her? I have a bad feeling about this all now. Hot Shot thought to himself. She sounds a little like a…a Decepticon? He shakes himself from his thought though. Maybe I’m just imagining it.

Veren raised her blade aiming the tip towards Megatron in a threatening style. “You stand not a chance against us now, I implore you to retreat.”

“Retreat? Retreat from what? An Autobot and a human that bond’s with a damaged Mini-con?”

“Bond?” Veren tilted her helmet one way. “Is that what you call it?”

Megatron frowned in disgust, “I can see I have already spoken too much.” He swung the gun on his hip around, “When I destroy you, I will take your Mini-Con, and with that damaged robot there is nothing you can do!”

Veren threw her head back with a barked laugh. “I warned you!”

Hot Shot made ready to lunge at Megatron for the sake of the human. She’s arrogant! She’ll get herself killed— Before anyone could make a move, someone shot Megatron. “What the-“ he looked around. “Who fired?” he cried.

Megatron’s cannon suddenly exploded from the inside. “What?” he groaned as a section of armor on his side fell away corroded and damaged.

Demolishor gasped, “Megatron!”

He moved to a knee clutching his hip. “What happened?” he growled.

“Now are you glad you did not resist shooting Cyclonus down, Demolishor?”

“What?” Megatron shot a glare over to Demolishor.

“Don’t be mad at him. I made him cut poor Cyclonus.” Veren called.

“Grrrr…” Sonic Boom growled agreeing.

She raised the rifle higher. “The bullet’s my partner fires are special magnum related. They’re really small, and we only have a few to use, but they do their deal of damage.” She cocked her head considering. “I can hear the Autobot’s from here.” To support this claim she crossed her arms and relaxed. “You should leave now, go back to your base and repair your self and have your warriors repaired.”

Megatron lowered his head in anger. He turned back to her. “I swear this is not over! I’ll get you for this, Veren. Withdraw.” He commands.

“Yes sir.” Demolishor said in a disappointed tone. Then they vanish.

Hot Shot ran up to Veren when all was clear. “What was all that about?”

She looked up at him. “What?”

“Why did you tell him the other Autobot’s were coming? We
could have stopped him, saved a lot of sparkache.” He was a bit angry with her, she had had no right to help the enemy and no part in their war.

“The other Autobot’s are on their way. Besides, there’s nothing worse than a wounded enemy to mess everyone up,” she turned from him looking off through the forest. “Did you really think you could catch him now? He would have took off or whatever and escaped anyway.”

Hot Shot stopped to think seeing Veren’s reasoning. “So, you made him leave to save us from casualties?”

“Bingo.”

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” In all the excitement he had forgotten that Veren was herself hurt and probably didn’t want to run away from Megatron.

“Hey Veren!” Spike greeted as he ran over to them. “Are you okay now?”

She smiled through the mouthpiece. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

He paused standing a yard from her. “Well, you had your rib poking out of you like a shark tooth.”

Hot Shot looked at Veren a little closer. He realizes the vast amount of red streaked all over her. She was matted and drying already though, but it was obvious she wasn’t a few minutes ago. He stutters, “Is…that your blood all over you?”

Veren looked at the bandage. She put her hand on her side feeling where the wound had been. “It seems I’ve healed up.”

“He’s repaired, and you’re not dying-“ Spike took off his helmet looking concerned. “What’s going on?”

Veren turns to him completely serious. “I honestly have no idea. But I know my Mini-Con had something to do with it,” she looks over at Sonic Boom to see if he would give the explanation.

As before when she looks to him for questions, he cocks his head surprised by her gaze and mutters a sniffle. His eyes hold the same form of confusion Veren felt. A pleading. Two mirrors searching the other for an answer to a question that hasn’t been asked, they realize it must be answered first.

“Sonic Boom-“

“Is everyone all right?” Optimus calls as he drove up with Strongarm- interrupting Veren before she could speak.

“Yeah. The Decepticon’s just left.” Hot Shot turns to check Veren. She did predict they were coming, he thought to himself.

Prime wasn’t convinced. She looked terrible, like a monster from a horror movie. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Positive.”

Optimus’ concern and gentle voice turned angry in a splint second. “Good. Because you’re in a serious amount of trouble!”

“Geez.”

“Urma.”

Once everyone was gathered and accounted for Optimus loaded up Veren and Sonic Boom to travel with the other Autobot’s back to Ocean city so they could talk. He didn’t feel safe when sitting out on fresh battlegrounds, that was wise action. Some time back when they paused upon an area just demolished after a fight while everyone was still injured and waiting for repairs, a renegade Decepticon broke in trying to take them out. He was after a Mini-Con they did not have, but he wouldn’t listen. He was finally subdued after one of their own Autobot’s had been killed.

Optimus allowed Veren and Sonic Boom out before he calls the command to transform. He turns to the other Autobot’s speaking friendly, “You may return to as you were before called away.”

“Yes sir.” They speak amongst themselves as they exit whispering about Veren’s fate. Cliffjumper shot back some smug glances though he had a facial guard covering the lower portion of his face.

“Spike…”

He looks up at Optimus from by the ramp. “Oh, I thought I’d wait and—”

“—Outside.” He points to the door.

Spike sighs knocking his helmet. “Yes sir.” He jogged off after the others as they vacate the area.

Optimus turns back to Veren. He loomed over her though she didn’t seem to care. Maybe it was the helmet. He motioned with a finger to his skull. “Off with the helmet.”

She huffs slipping it off and turns to look up at him. “Good?”

Without responding to this quip, Optimus begins. “What were you thinking?” His voice was stern and annoyed.

“Well—”

“You’re not a part of my team; you’re not a fighter; you probably never had any sort of training let alone experience; and while you were out running around looking for the Mini-Con we had to pause the search to look for you.”

“I didn’t ask for any help. I also didn’t ask to follow. Remember? I coasted a ride with Sonic Boom?” She gestured beside her to the large Mini-Con.

“That’s not the point. You’re actions were ignorant—no thought process went into them at all. Do you realize you could have been killed?” He strained that.

Veren didn’t answer at first. She had turned her face away from Optimus watching the far wall with a sour frown. She was grinding her teeth. “Following you was my idea.”

“Nay!” Sonic Boom shrieked.

“His and mine.” She glares up at him. “It’s not like you own us or anything—”

Optimus held up a hand silencing further words. “I found the files on you.”

“What?” She choked.

“You’ve been an orphan for the past nine years, almost a decade and you have never settled down into a permanent home for any more than a year and six months. And your real name is….”

“No! Don’t say my name!” Veren covered her ears as though in pain.

“James D. Rue.” He speaks up to get through her blocked hearing. “I was able to contact your government. Due to uncontrolled events as the reviving of this Mini-Con and your illegal activities connected to this Auto-Deception, they have found that it is your best interest to put you under the Earth Resources Protection Program or ERPP.”

“They sold me out!” She winced withdrawing into herself. “Of all the humans on Earth with Mini-Con’s, they single me out!”

“They did not single you out. Megatron has his eye on your Mini-Con and it’s in your best interest that you be set under our protection. I did this so you could be with him, so I wish you’d show a little gratitude.”

Veren removes her hands from her ears and glares at him hatefully, but she seems to see into his intelligence. “Why me?”

“You’re the one that found him.” He kept his voice low now, at least until she raised hers.

Veren looks over at Sonic Boom, whom had been silent through all this watching confused. He tilts his head under her gaze. “Hrmm?”

“My Mini-Con,” she murmured to herself.

He continues. “I’ll warn you now, since I didn’t before. If you do anything to put yourself, or those around you, in any sort of danger, I’m afraid I will have to separate you from your Mini-Con. I will not hesitate to send him back to Cybertron.” He wasn’t sure if he would actually send Sonic Boom to Cybertron, but hopefully Veren would go for his bluff until he came across a better method. “Do you understand our terms?”

Veren sighed calming herself. She turns her head with her face from his sight and took her helmet turning it and setting it on her head. She looked right up at him. “I’ll oblige.”

“Good.”

“Are we finished?”

“Yes. You may go.”

She shook her head slowly turning to follow Sonic Boom as he walked away. “Oh. And another thing.” She rotates casually throwing the Mini-Con plate up to Optimus.

He caught it and looked at it. He didn’t think they actually found the Mini-Con or had it. He thought Megatron found it and just left. He wondered what had caused the Decepticon to call a retreat. “The Mini-Con?” He looked up at Sonic Boom as he turned out of the door.

Veren put her hands in her pockets as she walked out keeping her head down. Sonic Boom ran ahead ready to play, Optimus hadn’t been yelling at him. She sighed ready to run and catch up to Sonic Boom. She paused and gasped astonished.

* * *
A deep voice comes from a dark figure glaring out silhouetted by a bright explosion of light and fire. The voice comes deep and raspy, the eyes bright blood red and evil. “I? …I…am the final creation…”
* * *

“You okay?”

Veren shakes her head and turns to Spike. “Huh?”

“You zoned out.” He sat on the wall that railed the pathway along the upper area above the cities research center. He had already changed to his casual clothing, but Veren wondered briefly what he did with his armor.

“Did he yell at you?”

“Yeah.” She walks over a yard from Spike and swings her body around sitting on the wall dangling her legs over a fifty-foot drop. “It’s decided he hates me.”

“Eeh?”

“He puts up with me because of the government and other junk about Autobot’s I’ll never understand, but he hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you.” Spike turns to sit the same way Veren did. “He just worries about you.” He chuckled. “I was pretty freaked.”

“When?”

“When? When you were on the ground, bleeding to death. You looked like something from the Scifi channel. You could have died. I was scared you would. I didn’t have the tools to patch you up in less than two seconds.”

“Sonic Boom didn’t think so.”

Spike gives a laugh. “Yeah, he’d know. But If I know Hot Shot, he’s gonna be hounding Optimus until he tells him something about your Mini-Con. After what he did for you, I’d what a friend like him.”

“Healing?”

“What else?”

Veren watched a seagull glide by. “Do they ever get trapped in here?”

“Huh?”

“The birds.” She points to the seagull as it ascends gliding on the warm air currents.

“Uhh…sometimes. But they always get out when the city surfaces.”

“What about their babies?”

“They’re babies?”

“Yeah. What if they need to be fed? The city doesn’t stay down too long, does it?”

“Naw. People gotta come and go anyway too.” He looks at her curiously. “What’s this about?” He wonders if Veren was watching him through the helmet.

“I don’t know.” She looks the opposite way down the wall at Sonic Boom as he leans over looking down. “Optimus said if we didn’t behave, he’d separate us.”

“Then better stay on his good side.”

“But we can’t.”

This piqued Spike’s curiosity, he turns to Veren feeling concern and unsure of the reason. “Why’s that?”

“I…don ‘t know.” Veren concentrates on Sonic Boom. “All I know is we can’t be separated. Like that’s dangerous.”

“All I know is that through Cybertron’s history, no one has ever come across a Mini-Con like him.” He tilts his head. “And that’s really strange if you think about it. Megatron seems to remember him, but no one else. There has been no other Transformer like him. Nothing. It’s like he’s a new breed.”

“I guess that’s not impossible.” Veren stands up on the rail, she walks off in Sonic Boom’s direction.

“Where are you going?”

“To get in trouble.” When Sonic Boom turns his head up and sees her, she takes off running after him. He turns to race away.

Spike calls last words. “Don’t fall!”

Meanwhile, at the Decepticon’s headquarters. Starscream is in his room resting on his back strewn across his specimen table. It appears he could be asleep, he’s motionless and silent and his optics are dim-usually a sure sign that any robot is shut down for a recharge. However, his eyes flash with a sharp ping and he turns his head to look over. He can’t seem to grasp words at what he is staring at, unsure if he’s focused. “What happened to you three?”

Demolishor holds Cyclonus up, as Megatron stands first in line. They look worse after leaving the rain forest than they did while standing injured in front of the Mini-Con.

“Just shut up and repair my armor.” Megatron growls in a tone that stops further questions.

“Hh—lie down here, sir.” He sits up sliding off his table and backs away as Megatron walks over. Megatron lays on his stomach so the armor to be repaired is in Starscream’s view. The veteran Decepticon goes to work pulling out some devices for wielding and reconfiguring wires. He wanted to ask what had done this to Megatron so he’d know whose best friend he should use, but he valued his life as well. He leaned over to Megatron’s shoulder, a few sparks come as he touches his tools to the dark gray platting.

“I’ll get that human for this.” Cyclonus mumbles with his head hanging.

“Save your energon. You’ll need it for smashing that Mini-Con.”

“A minor set back.” Megatron assures them with a wince. “I didn’t expect that human to have such control over that little brute.” Nor did he imagine the raptorcon to be rightfully disobedient of his orders.

“Isn’t that why you always say when we get to the edge of the dumps? You turn your cheek and say “no problem”, then get your exhaust line licked, and us with you.”

Megatron growls to Starscream’s reply. “A human. How would you deal with a human?”

“Step on him.” He smirked.

“The Autobot’s clearly have no idea what they have discovered. All they know is that I desire it.” He gripped the edge of the reinforced table crushing it like paper.

10
The pale light of the television screen dazzled Sonic Boom’s polished armor as he sat in the living room watching the screen from the couch, he checked his internal clock aligned with this portion of the globe and found that it was only nine AM. He could hear Veren in the bathroom being sick. He showed no concern that his friend was very sick, either he doesn’t care or this has been in effect for the past week. Neither.

It was that day after they visited the rain forest and Veren fell ill during the night. She regurgitated everything that had gone down the day before. She was running a fever too. These were her only symptoms though, she felt sick but no ache as aligned to a flu illness.

After the toilet flushed Veren enters the living room wrapped in a thick blanket. She sits on the hard couch set into the wall next to him. “I feel terrible,” she groans.

He mutters a ‘sorry’.

“What should you be sorry for?” Before Sonic Boom could reply, a faint chime rang through the room signifying a visitor. She stands going to the corridor. “Coming.” She opens the door to find one of the scientist’s standing there. “Yes?”

“My kids baked some cookies and I was wondering if my neighbor would like some.” He holds up a small plastic bag of cookies tied with a teaser. “These are for you.” Veren pivots and darts back for the bathroom. “Huh?”

Sonic Boom was right beside her when she ran and watched her race to the toilet. He turns back to the staff member and accepts the cookies with almost a smirk. “Curve don,” he bows.

“Your welcome?” He returns to the bow.

He closed the door and walked into Veren’s room. He put the cookies on the nightstand next to her bed. She was still in the bathroom. He turns walking back into the living room to watch some more cartoons.

Veren calls from the bathroom. “Sonic Boom.”

“Hrmm?” he turns his head listening.

“Can you call up the doctor?”

Sonic Boom gave a heavy sigh. He stood up and went over to small radio beside the doors controls. He pressed the button giving him the slight familiarity to a fast food drive thru.

~ At once a voice came on. “Yes?” ~

“Atod. Cama que la obbal dim brigel tusk?”

~ “Excuse me?” the voice was polite but a bit alarmed by this reply. ~

Sonic Boom suspected that the person from the other side would suspect a prank call. “Rei.”

Veren joined her friend. “Hey, I need a doctor.”

~ “What’s wrong?” ~

“I’m sick.” She bounced in place. “I don’t know my room number.”

~ “Don’t worry, we have you marked in the tower. We’ll send a doctor immediately.” ~

“Thank you.” She abruptly spun around and ran back for the bathroom.

“Hmm.” Sonic Boom sighed.

By the time the doctor arrived at Veren’s room, her vomiting had been driven under control. She was in bed asleep when Sonic Boom answered the door.

“Gah.” He bobbed his head in greeting.

“Where’s Veren?” His was a deep voice, he wore a long white lab coat buttoned and carried nothing with him.

“Geta.” Sonic Boom turns leading the man into Veren’s room. The occupant was sound asleep. The doctor kneels beside the bed as Sonic Boom moves to the opposite side.

“Veren. Wake up.”

She opens her eyes weak and weary, and obviously delirious. “Koa?”

“My name is Dr. Lipper. You called saying you were ill.”

“I am?”

“Can you tell me your symptoms?”

She closes her eyes. “Vomiting…fever I think.”

Dr. Lipper took a thermometer from his pen pocket and sticks it in her mouth. “Hold it under your tongue.” He takes out a stethoscope. “You need to sit up.” Veren did this shoving the blankets off her. She lifts her shirt halfway for the doctor to hold the listening piece to her chest. “Inhale.” He paused. “Now exhale.” He listened. He took the thermometer from Veren’s mouth and checked it.

“Still conventional crud?” He looked over at Veren. She took him confused and explained. “No high tech junk or super sensitive stuff?”

“Uhh…we do have a Mini-Con doctor that looks after patients.” He checked the thermometer again. “You are running a fever, but there’s no congestion or fluid in your lungs. So, I don’t know what it can be exactly, but my professional opinion suspects nothing more than a case of the flu, which the body can take care of easily on its own.” He took something from his pocket.

“Are you going to give me a shot?”

Sonic Boom growls looking mean, “Rerrr…”

Dr. Lipper gave him a wary stare. “No, this is going to tell me anything I need to know.” He lifts her sleeve and presses a small flap of plastic thing against her arm. It felt warm, like something was in it through her skin she could feel wires. It was some sort of mechanical device.

“What is that?”

“A Diggy Patch.”

“Diggy?”

“It works to sense any major infections in your body through your skin. Whatever has your body going through a loop it’ll know, but first I got to take it down to the lab to test. It won’t take long.” He pockets the patch. “I hope you feel better next time I see you but in the mean time here’s what you can do—drink plenty of fluids, keep resting, maybe you should try eating some soup and crackers if you’re feeling up to it. Take it slow.”

“Right.”

Sonic Boom shows him the way out before returning to Veren. He steps beside her bed tilting his head. “Mur?”

“Sonic Boom. Can you go get me some orange juice or something? From the cafeteria?”

“Eh,” he turns stepping from the room.

Veren sighed, closing her eyes and hoping for relief in the form of a dream. She’s not sure when, but she does fall to slumber.

A few years ago the Aztec temples were rich living energon mines, a dwindling supply of energon mineral mined daily and careful observation of the mine kept it living. Until the Decepticon’s came. They stole the mine forcing the Autobot’s to leave and enslaved the Omnicons they felt were strong enough to work, others were kept locked away until time called one forth to work when another fell. The Decepticon’s were greedy, taking all the energon, then the lives of the Omnicons. The result was loss—they lost the mine and the Omnicons. By popular belief, Decepticons abandoned the mine to find operations elsewhere in secret. Autobot’s once returned to look for any trace of life but there was none since everything had been sucked dry, in a sense. There was no choice but to abandoned the mine when there was no need to remain, a dry city only tapped out more reserves. But it wasn’t. Decepticon’s had found a secret shaft when mining and explored. They found the hidden tunnels large enough for the gods of the temples and remained, though no energon was here. The Mini-Con’s had been a decent crutch for this.

Below the Aztec temples, below where human eyes do not fair, Decepticon’s now busily work, or slacked off. Very much like the mines from the Ocean city there was little light. The Decepticon’s needed little to no light to see what or where they were going. They had night vision working without any available light, working in the pitch black a beam of invisible light flickered from the Transformers optics that could only be registered by a sensitive camera meant to pick up this light and all articles it bounced off of. But it was much more advanced than the simple black and white view, this beam allowed color to reveal in blackness though it was a very flat sight to view, there were no hues of render from light reflecting over 3D surfaces.

The only visible lights were the lamps occasionally lit by an unknown source, they were never greeted or missed, no Decepticon questioned them let alone knew how they had come to be before them. Megatron believed it was Omega Supreme’s doing and left it at that. He announced that to his Decepticon’s, said it was true. But he hid a secret.

Above the mines, above the Aztec’s ancient past Starscream walks through the lush green forest. The beauties of Earth were never a marvel to him as many assumed physicians held all life precious, he merely gave it a glance with a cold sneer of contempt. He was glad to be given liberty to return to his scientific life, he had forgotten the joys of questioning the conundrums he was faced each day, on this planet, or others like it. It was because Megatron appointed him a Decepticon in second in command, he was forbidden to question Megatron’s might. But he did. He tried to take the Decepticon armies as his own time and time again, playing a loyal fool. He promised himself he would have a day, one day to crush Megatron.

He found himself on the bank of a vast lake, the golden sun gave it a silver tone. He stepped off into the water finding it somewhat deeper than expected as it chilled his shins, the temperature was a cool forty-four degrees and he felt the vibrations of the fish under water as they darted here and there. He slowly waded out to the middle careful not to disturb the muck at the floor or churn the water clumsily around his form. He found the middle of the lake shallow, the liquid lapped high around his thighs.

The ancient jungle was very quiet, the birds called from the trees and his audio receptors picked up verbalizations from wild animals pacing through the brush. A sudden snap, thump, cry…silence. He stood listening to the background sound.

They lulled him into memory banks almost forgotten and dormant. He remembered a very young apprentice learning from another Cybertronian craft of binding elements in one of the large colleges, toiling with elements humans have never before laid dreams upon. It was easy work but required careful skill and a steady hand. A novice would never be able to obtain the correct electon density and end up blowing something or someone away. As a young student if he wanted to enter the fields he so desired as a scientist, he had to learn minor areas of crafts foremost. Thus, he began with the smaller classes gradually working his way up to the higher more esteemed fields that the intense scientist were already well known for, most had already made a grand achievement. More than anything he felt he was resentful of them and their already earned names, and how he wanted their title. To steal it even.

It wasn’t unusual his feelings toward his peers, but it was bad. The rectitude were inherited, hardwired into what he was and inevitably whom he would become.

This young novice reflected on the pride he felt when he was the first to forge a new element he called Diatromion, an extremely light yet dense metal not labeled as an alloy by definition that no other metals were added, it was a new type of element. His mind slowly drifted to a sudden crash, a burning sensation as fire filled the classroom. Something flew at his face and his vision flickered before he fell black.

When Starscream’s mind snapped back he was still standing in the lake. The water was cooler now fifteen degrees and the sun was dropping. The lake’s surface was placid omitting a ripple at the bank where some animal scurried away. He hesitated to move. He wasn’t cold for he was fond of the snowy areas this planet held, which made enemies move slower. He shifted one large leg stepping forward for the bank and dry earth, the water rippling obscured his reflection as the recollections of his lost past. He didn’t bother with careful movement, as he did need to return to base as soon as possible to check in.

Upon arriving at the bank he happened to look down. He paused almost passing a minute detail before it clicked. He stopped now to kneel down, his body creaked as he examined the mud of the bank from where the omitted ripples originated. The tracks were deep and messy but blended well with the sloshy ground, an animal with large three toed feet. He understood there was no animal from Earth with feet like this.

At Ocean city it was a normal day. Omnicons go in and out of the mines accompanied by Mini-Con’s, scientists are busy in their labs testing and creating new ideas, and in the halls—Veren and Sonic Boom make mischief. A scientist stepping from one room with a small stack of papers upon a clipboard heard the cry too late.

“Move!”

“WAH—” he leaps back throwing papers up as a Yamaha motorcycle sped by, the driver sat on the wrong side trying to hold on.

She grabbed a page as she went, “Sorry!” she released it turning around.

The scientist huffs, “Kids.”

“Sonic Boom! Slow down!”

“Rawwr!” is his only reply as she climbs to his controls. Her ascent up his back was only delayed by speed and sharp turns, other means had to be taken as well to protect him from her control.

“Sonic Boom! Stop or I’ll shoot!” Veren sighed. “Why did I say that?” He does a front wheelie and Veren flips forward holding onto his midsection for dear life as her back dangles over the rear wheel. “SONIC BOOM!”

“Rawwr!” he had gears in his fore portion so slowing was a dream he never dreamt. Veren kicked at his cycle face trying to climb up to his tail now. He began spinning around while on one wheel.

“SONIC BOOM!” Her body was flung out and she was getting dizzy, she nearly released Sonic Boom’s chasse. She felt him grip her hands with his turning them over from under his chest. She had enough of this it was time to take charge. “STUPID MINI-CON!” she kicked her legs sending a wave through her body to her back and hitting hers to his under portion. Sonic Boom uttered a whimper as his wheel skid the wrong way, they were flung vertically into the wall crashing and tumbling over the other to the floor. She rested on her head with her back against Sonic Boom’s chest and her legs over her head, she didn’t hear him transform but rested on his rump slumped forward.

Dr. Lipper rode up to them on some very slim moped device that hovered above the ground. He halted a yard from the wreck dismounting, “Are you alright?”

“Yo.” Veren gave a thumb up, though she couldn’t see straight.

He left his moped thing against the wall walking over to them, “Do you have any idea what kind of trouble I went through to track you down. I thought you were sick?” He sounded annoyed.

Veren turns her head to him keeping her head on it’s side to receive one clear image. She began, “I was sick, but now I feel great,” she struggles to stand letting Sonic Boom fall completely over, “I couldn’t wait to get out of bed and run around.”

“Maroo,” Sonic Boom groaned.

She went on, “It must’ve been one of those twenty-four hour flu’s, because I ate those cookies like nothing.”

He sighs satisfied by this outburst of a healthy person. “Well, be as that was. I took a look at the Diggy patch, all that was wrong here was a lack of blood platelets.”

“Hmm,” Sonic Boom listened.

“Other than that, you’re very healthy.” Before leaving he adds one more note, “Oh, and stop going crazy like a idiot. You embarrass the human race,” he takes his small moped machine and speeds off.

Down in the mines water dripped in click with the movement of the workers. Two Omnicons rest by a wall conversing while a team of Mini-Con’s clears softer debris. Five Omnicons work in the new section of the mine Sonic Boom had entered earlier in time, two secured the metal beams as three chiseled at the earth. A Mini-Con accompanying the group sat perched on a wheelbarrow. He looks over at the two digging away at the earth with spikes, curiously.

One gives a grunt as he hits the earth a final time, he turns looking over at the two, “You know, maybe we should just tell Optimus this mine is dry. We’re strictly relying on Desert city and Metro city for our energon reserves.”

Another, resembling a white jet, sighs; “You may be right, but what if there’s still energon here?”

“Still, the cost to maintain this city compared to the others supplying energon, is significantly greater. It would save bundles.”

“Should we take this up with Trivia?” the first Omnicon asked.

A sly look from the second speaking Omnicon, “Are you kidding?”

“I’ll go ask him,” the third Omnicon walks away.

The second Omnicon turns to the second, “Should we go with him?”

“Eh,” he shrugs, “I’m due for a break anyway.”

The two begin walking away.

As they walk by the wheelbarrow, the second Omnicon turns to the Mini-Con, “Do you want to come, Risket?”

He tilted his head, “Hold that thought.” Gracefully, he leapt from the wheelbarrow to the side of the mine the Omnicon dug from. He clinched a fist and struck the wall with a pounding blow.

The Omnicon gasped when a portion of the calcite snap away. Underneath was rich energon, “But… what if that’s the last bit?”

“It ain’t. I think there’s a cash flow over here.”

“How do you know?” he choked running over.

The second Omnicon called back when no one was with him, “What’s going on?”

“I can feel it.”

“How much energon is that?” the second Omnicon called as he returned.

The Decepticon base set inside the ancient Aztec mines was quiet. The halls were silent. All the Decepticon’s had locked themselves in their separate rooms to study, train, sleep, or work. Demolishor was the only one to scurry, stomping through each hall.

This scurrying Decepticon entered a special room that held a large computer concealing data on each Autobot. The screen was as large as Megatron, and the computer consul held many different unmarked keys each programmed into the Decepticon’s routine assuring no one could operate the computer unless willing to do so blind. To the side of the computer was a large area niche of the wall where temple, rock, wall was excavated for a crystal translucent platform, with a ring set around this, edges surrounded the rim of the ring like a spiked collar.

The Decepticon moved up to the computer typing in random keys in erythematic order faster than the human eye. Screens displayed in strange languages, disappeared, brought up, dismissed, again and again. He began speaking with someone through a radio link, “Where are you now?” He heard Dakota. Demolishor didn’t watch the screen or the keys, he didn’t need to. He gave his seller his full attention. “How much did you say you want for this?” He heard the price. “That much?” he exclaimed. The seller confirmed. He shrugged, “Okay, whatever. But if this guy turns out to be as worthless as the other, then you’re getting him back with no payment and in so many pieces.” He heard protest. “Then take it up with Megatron!” He chuckled pressing a confirming button. Immediately to his right the niche lit up. Demolishor waltzed over to the front to watch, he grinned pleased by his own doing.

A structure appeared in the niche, hunched over. Wires began taking shape in the outline of a body. They moved as electricity sparkled and dazzled the niche. Finally, a body formed superimposed over the wires. A pair of blue eyes gleamed behind a sharp beak.

11
It was the middle of the night when the alarm erupted in its subtle tow whistle. Scientist in their dorms sat up wide-awake as lights were automatically flipped on. Drills like this were run once a month during the day, this was not a drill, as the intercom soon confirmed they were under attack.

Veren sat up, “What is that?”

Sonic Boom lifted his stout head from the ground, “Aoo.”

“Attention: this is not a drill. Enemy Transformers are within the city.”

Veren puts her open shirt over her pajamas musing, “Maybe it’s a mistake?” The lights in her room flash red. “Or not.”

She follows Sonic Boom out of the room looking up and down the halls. She fastened the helmet to her head getting the system up and running as they paused. It was like the fire drills from school, but these people weren’t heading for the exits. They were heading for escape pods set under the city through doorways within the halls. She and Sonic Boom didn’t plan on following these people or Transformers. Instead, they ran a normal route heading for the exits and outside the city. In the hall leading outside these doors an Autobot spotted them.

He puts a hand up signaling them to stop. “You can’t come this way! You need to evacuate the building with the other civilians.” He looked up as the lights flicker again, this time the sound of muffled explosions were heard followed by rumbling of the walls.

Veren is lifted onto Sonic Booms back by the aptitude Mini-Con. She calls out a warning to the well meaning robot. “Out of the way! He’s not one to waste time!”

“Rawwr!” Sonic Boom leaps straight up, his form motioned he did not strain.

The Autobot cries. “Stop right there!”

“Not a chance!” Sonic Boom transforms as they descend. She gripped the handlebars pulling her self onto his bike seat. When the Mini-Con comes down to pathway his wheels spin as he stalls going nowhere, then swerves forward.

“Wait! That area is off limits—” The Autobot falls over covering his head when another, closer, eruption occurs. The alarm continued as light flashed warning. “Jeez…”

Outside where the action is Cyclonus, Starscream, and Skywarp lay fire on the city where ever they see fit. An antenna snaps and falls with a crashing burn, a building explodes when a missile goes through the window. It was a cloudy night turning the water black as oil, the air was salty clean and humid.

Upon the highest building the sub tower, Megatron stood laughing with deep pleasure. “Surrender thisand it’s contents or suffer extinction!”

Demolishor stood on a lower construction watching Offbeat hunt around the buildings. “All Mini-Con’s go to Megatron first!” he calls.

“First you gotta catch them!” Below Offbeat spots a small brown jeep and chases that. He slips when it turns a corner and tries following it.

“Heh, heh. Good luck!” Demolishor is taken by surprise when a laser barely misses his head. He ducked turning alert to whatever fired, his sensory bristling through the noise to track where his attacker had come from.

On a builging top lower from Demolishor, Spike had himself perched seated on High Wire, a solid gun that attached to High Wire’s side became his weapon of choice. “Just wanted to get your attention!” He fastens the gun to the back of his armor, revs the motor wheeling Honda, then, forces the vehicle forward. He flattens himself against High Wire’s back cutting resistance and folds his legs up behind him.

“Sesting slag pool!” He averts the saw embedded in his lower vertebra side around his flank pelting plasma beams from the whirling teeth, as Spike proceeds in a straight line down the building. Even heading right for him-not even twitching, he couldn’t hit the kid.

Spike hits a ramp made from a fallen radio tower and escalates to a idea height of attack. “I hope you remember this!” Rather sailing over Demolishor’s head he pulls the front wheel up and the wheel spins like a saw. “That a slag pool did this to you!”

Demolishor couldn’t move he was so focused on killing, while all the time that wheel headed for him. When it struck his audio receiving he let out a cry grabbing his face and fell backwards tumbling down from Spike’s view.

Spike hit the ground unexpectedly near the endge and braked sliding on his side raising sparks from the armor on his leg. He looked up in trepidation, Megatron was now absent.

Optimus lands with a thundering pound behind Spike and walks up to him. “Spike,” he commands, “scour the city for any left behind. My warriors will get these Decepticon’s out of here.”

Spike salutes pulling High Wire up. “Yes sir. I know we won’t lose this place like Jungle city.” At the end of this statement, he revved High Wire’s motor and took to an alley for safe cover.

Prime watched him take off making sure, while the human was in his sight no harm came to him. He turns away spotting Veren as she walked up, the gleaming body of the Mini-Con suit over her own form.

She paused tilting her head back to yawn behind the helmet. “Oh,” she begins, “morning.”

He growls at her ease. “Veren, you were supposed to evacuate with the others. You’re not authorized to be up here.”

“Who cares for authorization?” she shrugs the mechanical shoulders.

Prime contemplated a human with a Mini-Con super suit on. If it weren’t for the fact Veren was untrained, ill responsible, and still very young he may have gladly considered her as a warrior such as Spike. But that wasn’t his place to decide. She was under the Autobot’s protection by order of the United States and he honored the wishes of his host, after all he was still a guest to Earth.

A new cogitation came to his CPU. How was he going to stop her from following him around if that Mini-Con was with her?

Sonic Boom growled as Veren turned away from Prime, leaning forward with her hands near the ground loosely. She was waiting for something, which came surprisingly to Prime.

The brown Mini-Con jeep Offbeat was still chasing sped by on a pathway just beyond the buildings, the revs of his motor distinguishable over the howls of a jet screaming overhead. The Mini-Con was in dire of assistance as he swerved to keep the Decepticon from cracking his bumper.

Prime leapt down landing in Offbeat’s path as the Mini-Con sped by, he grabbed the Decepticon’s dark green armor, his feet slid over the metal path as he grunted and Offbeat’s motor whined. When Offbeat was secure against his shin he lifted his great arms and slammed his massive fists into Offbeat’s side.

“ARGH!” He backs out to fold into his robot form. “That’s it! No more mister nice guy!” Offbeat was not a very large Decepticon, he wasn’t very strong, and his firepower was limited. He did however hold great speed and maneuverability. He used it well against any opponent, preferably those bigger and clunkier than him.

Offbeat dashed by Prime sliding the wheels on his heels across the ground—he was jerked back by Prime and thrown into a wall stunning him before smiting him across the face not bothering to deal with the runt of Decepticon’s, the blow sent the smaller machine into temporary stasis. With that dealt with he turned his head scanning for Veren. She was gone. He didn’t bother to search he needed to get rid of the remaining Decepticon’s. He ran along the road, his feet pounded the metal surface supporting his ton-for-ton body. He looked up as Skywarp emitted a screech ascending to the sky where he was home.

Veren found it easy to leap up the buildings with one bound after the other. Sonic Boom was surprisingly light, understandable as he was mostly hollow through the body. She found herself making great use of his tail as a boost to help her ascend or turn on a dime. The wall, ruined from a falling missile, was too high to jump. Scaling walls was a synch, she crawled right up them gecko style using the dagger claws. She pulled herself up onto a perch of the high wall that was called the ‘Crow’s Nest’ at the tallest tower of the city.

“Human.”

She was stunned when Megatron shoved his face right up into hers, so close she could clearly see the optical retinas working behind each lens. She was flabbergasted unable to move in sheer terror. She wanted to but her legs seemed to have developed a different frequency than her brain, maybe too Sonic Boom was paralyzed by the abrupt appearance as well. She shuddered, only able to move her head to look up as Megatron rose from his hiding place—this supported the theory Sonic Boom was appalled.

The evil Decepticon lashed out with his hands grabbing Veren’s armored suit, one hand gripped the stream lined Mini-Con thigh and tail while the other firmly grasped the torso under the arms. She still couldn’t move as Megatron spoke, “If its one thing you humans will die by, it’s the same you crucially need!” He threw himself backwards off the Crow’s Nest to plumit.

Everything went so fast she couldn’t see. One moment they were falling the next the water was all around her. She heard the sizzling sound of water filling space as Megatron’s body collected liquid in what available cavities he held. He was sinking but that was his plan, his voice sounded funny as he spoke until his chest was saturated with salt water:

“…Come out of the Mini-Con and maybe I will have time to drag your carcass back to the surface,” Megatron lied through his teeth. He planned to drown Veren like the human he was.

This human wasn’t too worried yet, she clawed at Megatron’s hand keeping her head straight for if she tilted her head back the helmet would fill with water. Megatron did not know this, and Prime didn’t know she was under water though if she didn’t get to the surface, either way, she would still suffocate on carbon dioxide. She held her breath trying to strike pain into Megatron, something to surprise him into releasing her. As they sank deeper the helmet’s fit tightened on her head due to increasing pressure. In alarm she realized any deeper and she could pop or suffocate in the coils of water pressure to her epidermis. She clawed between the gears of his thick metal digits, something snapped, but he didn’t release her. He wore his smug grin on. She had little time to free herself now.

A trigger clicked.

Sonic Boom fired lasers from the outer sides of his feet. The lasers cracked and sizzled in the cool water making a smokescreen of bubbles and gas.

“Blast!” The continued blast from the Mini-Con’s feet startled Megatron into opening his grip. He continued to sink watching the insolent human struggle to turn over and swim. “Come back here!” He stopped his descent into the deep sea and concentrated his fire on Veren aiming all three cannons, he shot a triple blast.

Veren was clumsy in the water while wearing the Mini-Con suit, she kicked simultaneously with both feet under her like a biped frog, she even held her arms out for balance. When missiles launched by her, she was pulled into their suction swirling around in a cloud of bubbles and gas. It was useless to struggle while her equilibrium was all off. A crackle came and the gurgling of water seeping into the helmet. When her spinning was under control she righted herself pointed her head for the surface and kicked.

Up on the city, a silver Autobot had witnessed Megatron’s plunge into the ocean with the Veren in Mini-Con suit. He finishes the report up with, “…they’ve been down too long for a human’s safety.”

~ “Get down there, Ratchet, and get Veren before Megatron kills her!” Hot Shot’s tone was strained and alarmed, multitasking as he fought while he spoke. ~

“Alright—” He stopped when Veren burst from the surface.

She shook her head draining the water from her helmet and choked to breath. She looked up when a voice called dwn to her.

“Get out of the water!”

Numb by all happenings she looked around. The water was choppy and she rose and fell with the waves, she wondered how she was buoyant while in the water wearing a suit of armor. She twisted around shocked by Megatron crashing from the surface. “It’s the great white whale!”

A spray of mist jutted from his maw. “I want that Mini-Con you imprudent creature!” He thrashed through the water to grab her yet again. Veren turned her tail up diving. “ARGH!” He dived after her with a tsunami splash using mandatory prupolsion systems used for slightest interstellar travel to maintin his buoyancy.

“Shoot!” Ratchet leapt from the bridges rail and plunged into the soft warm water. He took survey even before the bubbles cleared, he made out Veren swimming from Megatron as he followed, firing! The human in Mini-Con suit was a small target, but Megatron was a good aim. Ratchet swam through the water after Megatron hoping he would have time to catch up before he spotted him.

“There’s nothing like a swim at one in the morning to wake you up. Don’t you and your boys sleep, Megatron?”

“You only mock and muse because you are afraid!”

“Maybe so, but at least I’m not terrified!” Veren voluntary dove deeper, gaining the speed to dodge sizzling blasts that came from Megatron’s weaponry.

Ratchet dove at an angle in hopes to catch up to Megatron a little faster this way without being detected. Megatron’s attacks were achieving greater accuracy as he shot each cannon after the other, one came within a foot of Veren’s head. “Megatron!” Ratchet took up a pistol from his left flank firing for the Decepticon’s chest.

Megatron gave a cry when his shoulder was struck. His eyes gleam at Ratchet. “Terrible mistake, old chap.” He spun on his back aiming two cannons for the Autobot. He fired both blasts simultaneously, which Ratchet dodged easily in the water. Ratchet aimed his gun to fire, but a third shot had been fired when his back was to Megatron. He smirked as Ratchet stalled and floated on his back. “Cianara, Autobot!” he aimes carefully.

She spins over dodging it easily using the wing blades of the Mini-Con. The small booster extends from her back sending her, torpedo style for Megatron, “No one messes with my friends!” she hits her mark above his left flank digging the Mini-con’s feet and claws through the armor.

“Agh! Get off me!” he swats at them. When Veren swims away, his aim follows. He fires another round of triple fire, one after the other. She zigzags between the munition and lifts her feet to strike against his face. He blocks with an arm and she ricochets off, he follows her movement again not aiming. He predicted Veren would turn and come back at him. She did. “You’re too predictable, human!” he swung his arm hitting her when she drew to near. Megatron was as equally fast as he was on land, when he was in the water….

Veren spun around in the salty water from the blow. Her head spun. Water once again seeped into her helmet, collecting with the warm water from earlier. She choked on salt; giving her head a shake, she turns herself to see Megatron. She glares at him, “Jerk.”

Megatron didn’t care for following this time. He aimed his three cannons firing them off. He predicted Veren would dodge and become smug with her achievement. She did.

“Missed me—” She howled when a smaller missile slammed Sonic Boom’s right shoulder. She tried to maintain composure by swimming up. Another missile hit his chest causing Veren to slide onto her back stunned. The first shot cracked the helmet, but other than that she was all right, Sonic Boom’s armored body protected hers. Water was seeping into the helmet at a rapid rate now. The raptor leg gripped out into open water blindly for a hold, some form of security. She looked over at Megatron as he approached, sinking feeling of faintness came over her.

“You will only live long enough to feel the pain you have brought I,” He extended a hand.

She squeezed her eyes shut. “No fear!” She forced herself to retain any need for air, her own life to defend and the Mini-Con parasite. She grabbed a blade as it materialized from his wing and swung it at Megatron. He drew aback impressed she still functioned, and swung his arm for her. She threw the Mini-Con’s shoulder blades up sending her down and swung the tail spinning and sliced Megatron under the arm enjoying the muffled screech of cut metal.

“Uh-how dare you strike me!” as if this was the first time Veren put harm to him he gave himself space between her for room to fire his hip cannon. It sizzled through the water and Veren dodged it rushing back into Megatron. The booster on her back gives her the speed she needs to strike Megatron across the face with the thick raptor tail. She grit her teeth….

* * *
“Do you see it?” a gentle voice coos.
* * *

Veren found herself face to face with the barrel of Megatron’s hip mounted gun, it’s interior black, the rim a dark gray.

“I won’t tell you again. Surrender your Mini-Con, or I will return with his shattered pieces.

Veren was confused. How long had I blacked out? She hadn’t realized she did. But the question right now was how to get out of this pickle? “Why are we under water?” she asked a little bane.

“So, the burden of disposing you carcass will already be taken care of—The Mini-Con!” To his surprise Veren covered the barrel of his gun with his armored body. He didn’t know if he was stupid or not until he growled:

“SHOOT!”

“Alright!” He immediately snarled back charging the gun. He realized his error in being to hasty after she plunged the blade from the Mini-Con’s wing blade into the barrel.

She gave a choked hoot when the barrel erupted, the blast in the water shook her as the wave shot her backwards spinning, there were so many bubbles, smoke, even fire; she wondered if she had accidentally killed Megatron. The thought tickled her badly and she broke down, half laughing half choking on salt water. It was mostly the premature joy of Megatron floating to the dark depths of the ocean, but she knew that was impossible. He had survived greater attacks before. He would survive this.

She then realized she couldn’t spend any more time under water even at this frigid depth. Her helmet was water logged and she would drown now if she didn’t suffer hypothermia first hand, she thought this as her nose was submerged. Her air bubble had popped. Feeling sure Megatron wouldn’t bother her, at his given state, she turned to swim up until something caught her eye just by coincidence. She remained calm to conserve her air and saw that the flickering thing was Autobot Ratchet, his silver armor was a beacon under the light of the city. She had forgotten about him, he had tried to save her life, she was the only one that knew he was down here too. She debated whether to leave him or go up for air, time was ticking; but she bought her time contemplating. She decided her best move would be to go up for help; besides, she needed air. She turned kicking up for the surface.

Megatron grabbed her by the tail before she could propel herself; his other hand pinched her head. “YOU LITTLE BRUTE!” he roared. What was left of his hip and gun were the stub of the barrel and the bared wires under his thigh connecting to his flank. Megatron seemed too calm himself dynamically an insane grin grew on his face giving Veren and alarmed tone. He released Veren from his hold and drifted back. She couldn’t bring herself to speak or move. He paused, “Decepticon’s, retreat,” as he had before, he faded from sight. A slight suction created when his mass disappeared from the water.

Veren was bewildered. Why did he leave us? Her curiosity hungered to know, but could not.

She struggled with herself. She needed air. Though, she didn’t go up. Instead, she turned her head to peer down at Ratchet. He was in bad shape lying on a coral reef. She doubted she could make the surface in time to help him and her. She turned sinking towards him with the thruster on her back speeding her progress. She reached the robot and stood by his form on the side of the reef holding his chest with the claws. There was a gaping hole in his chest she hadn’t noticed when he was shot, a part from portions of Megatron’s hip bobbed in the water near him as they sank down.

Veren convulsed as her body craved air, she calmed herself turning the gun barrel on her back gun skyward and switched out the lasers and snipe bullets, she fired a flare of some sort. The flare was just smoke no bubbles, it went up like a torpedo and out of sight. She grabbed her helmet striving to control herself, her body and Mini-Con were out of control, they thought removing the helmet would provide air would not. She satisfied her body’s blind stupidity by taking a breath of cold salt water, it quickly flooded her insides-with a muffled sucking and clicking—with its foul taste. Her vision turned up and she could no longer see. Everything went black.

When Veren awoke she was immediately greeted with the unpleasant sensation of water being forced from her gullet. She had been laid on her stomach across someone’s palm and squeezed gently to force the water from her trachea. She pulled her arms up to get a grip of herself. The blue hand set her down on the ground so she could expel the foreign liquid from her body. The entire experience was unpleasant, though she was thankful someone had thought to remove her helmet before they sent her into a spasm of choked gagging. Even when the water was gone, she still had a dry, scratchy, throat. Salty. She gnashed her teeth gurgling glaring over, her hair was matted to her head and neck, in short she felt terrible. But she was alive.

Prime knelt by her making sure she was all right. “We were worried when the Decepticon’s retreated and you didn’t show yourself. Also, Ratchet was missing. We saw the flare and investigated.” He looks over as the Autobot’s, Hot Shot, Driveshaft, and Blaster pulling Ratchet from the water to lay him on the side road. “Ratchet wasn’t able to fire a flare.” He turns to her. ”Did you?”

Veren coughed when she tried to speak first. She took a breath, “Yes.”

“You nearly killed yourself down there, any longer and you would have.” He sighs, “But you also saved his life.”

“I…did?”

Prime nods to confirm.

She looks off. “It was my fault, anyway. He followed me because… of Megatron.”

“Megatron also followed you because of your Mini-Con.” They look over at Spike as he came over. He seems a bit ill at ease uneasy, holding up a clipboard he says, “The Decepticon’s got three Mini-Con’s: Brigade, Assault, and Double Edge.”

Sonic Boom snorts as the suit Veren wore. He may have been a suit but he was still able to press his views.. “Gahhrrr…”

“What he said.” Veren points her thumb to the chestplate.

“He’s upset?” Spike inquired.

“Mawo.” Sonic Boom releases Veren to stand behind his partner and lays his head on her shoulder.

“Yes.”

Optimus stands. “Veren, you should go have yourself and Sonic Boom checked at the infirmary. You two had a tough beating.”

“Though not as tough as Megatron.” Spike glanced at her.

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” she takes her helmet up and holds out a hand bowing. “Shall we be off?”

“Ogh bret!” Sonic Boom takes her hand inhis and the two skip away.

Prime rubs his head, a response he long mimicked from humans. “Those two…”

“I’ll go check on Ratchet, see if they need anything.” Spike walked off, but stops turning back. “Strange the way Megatron didn’t assist his men.”

“Yes. It is,” Prime checks the way Veren and Sonic Boom went.

The Transformer’s infirmary as was set under Ocean cities central tower beneath the central control tower of cities main controls. It was a large room wide and tall enough for five twenty larger robots, through the center were filed large tables for inhabitants that needed repairs. Machines hung from the ceiling ready to assist either table with a quick grab of an instrument, more commonly used machines were set under the table. It was open all the time in case of emergency, like the attack during the night. It was now five in the morning, but help was not short.

A man, that introduced himself as Tag, helped Sonic Boom with his repairs. They stood by a far wall away from the entrance where a small table had been set out for Mini-Con’s hurt or abandoned.

Tag didn’t wear the customary uniform of a scientist. He wore a brown jump suit with many buckles; some fastened and others dangling clinked while he worked. His baggy shirt was slightly tucked into his brown baggy pants, two cuffs were set around each ankle keeping his socks and pant legs attached, his shoes were brown too. He had a gray mustache though his hair was black in buzz cut form. His face was tanned and showed years and old colored scar that ran parallel to his upper lip. He looked somewhat dirty as though he had been working much the night-with attacks and all-but there was not a spot of oil on him.

He stepped back when he declared his repairs finished. “There,” his voice was quiet and kind, “he’s as good as new.”

“Hrmm.” Sonic Boom bowed to him.

He returned the bow, “Is he some kinda china dragon?”

“Bowing is polite,” Veren quipped.

“Just asking.” He began putting his tools away, “So, where’d you find him?”

Veren looked at him. She thought it best to answer a way he could not deny, “He was in a Mini-Con plate.”

“Just asking.”

Sonic Boom held Veren’s helmet up to her, “Geboo,” he responded.

“You gonna fix it?” He nods. “So I can breath underwater?” He shakes his head no. “How come?”

“Possibly because it would interfere with the other abilities of your mask,” Tag turns to her, “That’s what it is.”

She nodded. “I don’t want the Decepticon’s to see my face, to know who I am. It comes in handy.”

He shrugs giving the impression that that was pointless. “Good luck.”

Veren huffed. She didn’t like the way he responded. She decided it was time to leave, before he further annoyed her. “Come on, Sonic Boom. Let’s get some sleep.” The Mini-Con’s heavy footsteps followed her as she walked away.

Jungle city
In the Decepticon’s hidden Aztec temples Megatron lay on the repair table as Starscream works on his damaged cannon and hip. Starscream, him self, had been damaged while he fought, a bad run in with Spike and Silver Streak. However his leader’s needs came before his own, or so the leader stated clearly with power.

“ARGH!” Megatron winced holding the edge of the table and threatening to crush the sides. Electricity sparked at his wound with cracks and embers popping. Megatron bared with it all.

From the doorway Leader-one peeked in to see. He considered himself very lucky. Aside from being misused, he owed his life to Megatron. He was given up for dead within Unicron, until his body was recovered. Megatron had used energon to restore his form just as Starscream had the same done, the only difference was his personality had not been altered at all and was by many considered ‘perfect’. These words, spoke to him many times before in the past eons, made him smug. He felt perfect. But now Megatron desired a new Mini-Con. A powerful Mini-Con. Leader-one didn’t understand the appearance of the new Mini-Con, didn’t like it. He felt fear towards it, and that was frightening enough on its own, because this little Mini-Con didn’t understand why he was so terrified of a Mini-Con twice his size.

Megatron grunted again in pain. Any form of morphine to a Transformer such as temporary stasis was always denied by Decepticons, even if operations were excruciating. To accept comfort to surgery was a type of behavior considered weak and useless and typically dealt with by means of extensive torture or sneered upon by other warriors. Megatron could cope with any form of pain, so he set the example for his warriors to follow even if it destroyed them. The thought of the Autobot’s and this human fired him on, his will burning rage of wraith to which no path was created. He would find one.

<SigH> Just some more of Veren and Sonic Boom stuff...wait. Offbeat's in here? All right!!!

12
Two months after the Decepticon attack on Ocean city, the establishment had long since been repaired and reconfigured. The Omnicon workforce was excellent for massive projects such as this leaving the more demanding of tasks such as inventory to those in direct control of the city. With the Omnicons worked Mini-Cons, who had been the original designers and builders of many of cities upon Cybertron but also worked well in the finer details attune to design, such as rewiring of certain areas. These non-fighter pacifists worked wonders in their fields and although ere sought for their skills of energon conversion and power boosting abilities offered much to the warrior force in line of upkeep to prominent structures.

On the newly built-off balcony stood Optimus Prime, in the distance he monitored the Omnicons painted a wall with the symbol of the Autobot and Earth resources. These pacifists were not above the occasional prank in light humor towards the war but sometimes surveillance was key. Beside this Prime was communicating on his radio link with another using the central tower to transmit signals efficiently via the satellite.

“Yes. Send three loads of energon to Desert city and two over to Mountain city.” He paused to listen, before breaking in, “Yes. –Another load from Los Angeles? That’s good.” He leans on the rail resting his elbow joints and relaxes his wrist hydraulics letting his hands dangle. As he listens to his companion speak, he watched a scientist far below on the park side of Ocean city with his family-a man and twins-it’s difficult to miss them, a flock of seagulls descended to them eating the bread offerings. He felt hearted to watch this. He looked down the sheer drop of the building as Omnicons and Autobots exit the garage. “Alright, I’ll be sure to tell him that.” His dialogue sounds like a phone less, telephone, conversation. “Make sure those new charts are made. Thank you again.”

Prime closes his link and turns around. He had detected the human for some time, but had to finish the strike before confronting him.

The man wears a mahogany colored suit with a tan shirt under his tie and carries a brief case, he wore a pair of small glasses. His hair is died yellow and cut short spiked up, his appearance is relatively young despite his experience in his field. Few could pull of this air about them, one other was Spike.

“Mr. Optimus Prime?”

“Just Optimus Prime.”

He nods his head. “I’m here about your request,” he says.

Prime sighed. Sometimes wrangling with the human government was difficult, especially while both were different species with different morals that ran their governments completely different ways, the ideals were sometimes so…‘alien’ to one another. He hoped he had a case in the eyes of child rights activists. He knew if he explained the facts through and through stressing the importance of the issue, then maybe something could be done. While openly optimistic as his nature intended in his programming, more to his own morals, he remained dubious to the out look of the case he desired hearing upon. But he felt if nothing was done at all about the entirety of the issue, a terrible yet preventable event would transpire. If this didn’t work out he would have to separate Veren from Sonic Boom. Sometimes the cure was worse than the disease.

“My name is Author Celestial. Would you please come with me?” He turns leading Prime from the room. “We will be entering Washington D.C, they’ll speak to you there. I believe the Cybertron city located there is called Arbitration.”

Prime nodded. “Yes. That is the city where the designated governments of both Cybertronian and Earthling superiors come to meet when both rights as many would say ‘clash’ with natural rights of the good.” He followed Author out of the room. Prime was unsure of how familiar Author was with the system, but currently he was his ‘legal representative’ and would help defend him against the states government. However, he knew the man had attended the classes and must have passed with honors, he was here at the moment escorting with the Autobot leader. A case indeed.

“I understand you wish me to drive there,” Optimus responded.

Author nodded without turning back. “Yes. Those space bridges give me terrible motion sickness. I hope you don’t mind the inconvenience, but it will not take you long to reach Washington from California.”

Optimus reflected on that, it wouldn’t. While in cities the Autobots needed to obey proper traffic laws but the rules altered when they reached the open highways. Only those listed in the arms division held this privilege, civilian Transformers had to obey traffic laws on the wide open roads no matter how late they were with a shipment. “It’s no inconvenience,” he stated as they left the balcony.

“Can you give me the status of the situation to this point?” Author strayed back to the subject at hand, embarrassed by his fear of instantaneous space travel.

Just outside hanging over the balcony, Veren and Sonic Boom eavesdropped on Optimus’ conversation with Author. When the two left, Sonic Boom turns his head around to face Veren on his back.

“Optimus has a lawyer?”

“Uro.”

“We gotta check this out.”

“Gehh,” he grumbled between his teeth.

“I wanna see that Cybertron city too.” She strokes the rim of his snout. “I’m bored of Ocean city now, after that last fight. It would be nice to hang somewhere new for a change, show you off to all the guys there.”

“Hrumm…” Sonic Boom takes this as his cue to leap off the wall and jumped from top of building to shorter building, till he reaches the ground. He scares a flock of seagulls as he goes.

Optimus drives as his big eighteen-wheeler along the bridge leaving Ocean city. He suddenly found himself missing the ten-year period when Demolishor stood guard. He wondered what went wrong. In his cockpit sat the Author Celestial with brief case on lap looking proper and pretty.

It made Veren sick. She hated suits, proper pretty suits. Sonic Boom hated them just as much. She had not obtained the greatest of practice riding on Sonic Boom’s back, while he held a rope in his mouth thus she could stand upright. She did not like getting wet and Sonic Boom could not ride or hover along the bridge, this would be anything but discrete, this would be a red flag in a patch of gray…Megatron in a crowd of humans. In the water Sonic Boom skimmed along with thrusters blazing and his companion standing on his back riding him, her ankles were damp now and would probably get wetter before they reached the beach. She would be salty and sticky before reaching Washington DC.

Optimus came to the main road that led to and from the cities bridge, it had been paved in the past few years, no dust rose as he turned onto it shifting gears, going right. He picked up speed heading down the road along shoreline. The sun was already rising beyond the copses of trees to his left and before they reached the city of government it would be noon.

Veren stood on Sonic Boom’s back as they peeked from behind the nearest leg of the bridge. “He didn’t see us.”

“Hack um opal dui crat mesulla.”

“Let’s go then.”

“Rawwr,” Sonic Boom swam to the beach stepping through the soft mud and sand, onto dry land. He gave himself a shake as Veren leaned over to hold her balance with one hand to his back. He collapsed into the small Yamaha and revved his motor.

She sat down gripping his handlebars. “Let’s go. Sniff’em out.”

“Haroo!” Sonic Boom pulled a wheelie on the soft sand and dragged himself onto the main road; he picked up speed as he traveled down the stretch of asphalt and rock. He could follow Prime without seeing him; he could smell him. Megatron’s scent in the air had long gone cold, but it was still there. A hard reminder he would return.

Veren felt slightly drowsy as they went down the road, the trails of fading night proved to be an interesting spring day. She lay herself on Sonic Boom’s back still holding his handlebars, “Say Boom, I’m kind of tired. Let me know when we get there.” This was no surprise as she frequented her nights without sleep till day.

“Eh.”

She closed her eyes behind the helmet that her friend had made for her. He bounced along the road-tailing Prime, little chance of Decepticon attack. She felt safe with the big Mini-Con: A feeling of a kindred connection she hadn’t felt to anyone in such a long time, so long it was almost forgotten. Her scarred childhood maybe. This thought made her cringe. She began dreaming about a strange bridge over the universe. It was old and tattered. She wondered why there was a bridge here.

On the wideopen trek Prime didn’t speak with Author and Author didn’t speak with him. Both became lost in their own thoughts. Optimus was preparing his defenses, creating data logs he could access in an instant if required. It was a pleasant change to pace working up a more mental wall than a physical in which the highest casualty would be the comfort of a single individual rather the overall of a city, filled with frightened people not seeking the warfare but simple searching for answers to riddles of how to better equip the brave people fighting. If only more problems could be resolved this way then he would be a very happy leader, though sadly the Decepticons could only resolve conflict with violence, and if that were not enough they might handle their discomfort full borne mid a small town of friendly folk. Maybe regardless of the inevitable outcome he knew was to come he would be satisfied despite, just given the chance upon rarity to resolve an issue with words of reason rather guns of destruction.

In all his years of working with humans, with other alien creatures beyond the imagination of animals, he had never dealt with a legal case like this. He hoped it went smoothly in the least of his troubles.

Veren heard Sonic Boom growl at her. She opened her eyes to see a street with many cars parked at the light. She felt a little embarrassed as she sat up, she hoped no one was looking at her as she slept on the back of a motorcycle driving itself. “Sonic Boom? Where’s Optimus?” She could tel by the light hitting the planet that the sun had shifted, but in a different direction than what would have previously been at the western portion of the states.

“Ge.” When the light changed green, he rolled on out with the other cars and followed an invisible thread only he could see. He drove weaving down the many roads, heading somewhere Veren was blind to. His pace was slow, abiding the proper road regulations as he kept going. Veren once never questioned him. She trusted her friend. Even though it seemed they had just arrived at the huge city of Washington they were slowly leaving it, not heading in any direction for the White House. She was amazed it was still standing, after how many Decepticon attacks were led onto the city of governments. There were not Cybertron cities her mining energon, she knew that for a fact after reading it in many of her history books. However, Author had distinctly said ‘Cybertron city’. It was a puzzle, but Veren soon found what he meant when they drove thirteen miles beyond the outskirts of a high tech looking stretch of land.

The Yamaha cycle followed the herd of traffic around the oval road driving down toward a road with an orched of green grass and cherry blossoms. On one side beyond the beauty rose a high barbed wire fence with a massive stretch of lake beyond it, at the center was the island where at the center bubbled the rising manifsestation of a city. There were buildings on the green land and roads leading around these buildings, which were a variety of sizes and resembled a Cybertron cities structure. The roads held much activity with many cars riding across and what appeared to be people moving about, if the movement had been Mini-Con’s, their hides would be gleaming from the morning sun. One road lead right from the water blue up the bank into the city.

“Is that where Prime is?”

“Eh. Uoh qaster mist koonoo.”

“Then let’s swim across.”

“Muan.” He moved between the trees and drove up to the edge of the menacing fence. It was too tall for a Transformer to step over. He paused in the green grass under this and transformed looking up.

Veren sat on his back leaning over to one ear. “Jump it.”

Abiding her command he leapt up and over to the other side to land nimbly, and walked right up to the waters edge. Before getting to close, he stopped and swayed away as though propelled gently.

“What’s wrong?” She asks. She already had her feet on his back, ready to stand while he swam.

“Hrm…” He slowly entered the water waiting patiently as his rider stood on his back. He took the rope in his jaws when she dropped the edge and began swimming. Slowly. He even hovered higher above the water than he normally would.

She was concerned. Normally he would zip across a lake. She thought she would fall off in sleep before they reached the other side. Wondering why he was acting so strange, she noticed his sides where the water lapped along his chest blue crackled, reminding her of someone rubbing his wool socks across a carpet.

“Sonic Boom?” There was frail alarm to her voice. “Does that hurt you?”

“Nay,” he responds. “Urta gah nepul.” From then on, she kept her balance upon his back. Not wanting to fall into the electric lake.

When they reached the other side, Sonic Boom let her off before stepping from the water. His body was still charged and he gave his spikes a ruffle as though he took a pleasant bath.

“That should come in handy.” She turned looking at the new tall, barbed fence. “If we jump this one, will we die?”

“Gor.” He grabs her and leaps over. He trots up the stout hill, where the roads and residents would be.

While still in Sonic Boom’s grip, she takes a look at the area. There were no above road bridges, no high and gigantic skyscrapers. There were buildings, but each was only large enough to accommodate both inhabitants. People walked up and down the streets as though this was the only city in the world. A hot dog vendor sold a hot one to the buyer. Veren wondered if they had made a mistake in crossing the lake but decided no lake would be charged with electricity for no reason. Sonic Boom set her down and he followed her as she walked down the street.

“So, where is Prime exactly?”

“Geh.” He makes his way out beside her, lowering himself. She climbs onto his back and he rises, trotting off down the street. They travel a mile, straight down along the road. The only ones in view were humans and a Mini-Con here or there. She saw a Transformer disguised as a car, but that was the only one she spotted. Sonic Boom turned a corner and traveled halfway down the road until he came to a cross section. He backed away from the street and turned his head to another building that seemed something from a city mall just like the others.

As typical Veren did not know what to make of it. The wall was diagonal and chrome as the others were, much distance was placed from between ceiling and large glass windows. The windows were large enough for the Transformers to look out and scan the city, but by their point. There was no visible doorway in.

On the other hand Sonic Boom gave a hiss as he jumped up, climbing the sheer wall almost as if he were walking on his four legs. It was a long ascent and Veren was sure people were staring from the street below. But Sonic Boom chose entry from this side because there were little to no people passing below. He hopped over the wall into another section of the building, a balcony for Transformers. The rider dismounted him and the two walked up to a large door. It opened as they approached like a store door and cool air rushed out. She entered followed by the Mini-Con. The door shut behind them and she glanced back over her shoulder, Sonic Boom did the same. She turned back to the large metal hallway, the floor was smooth polished and had been waxed recently, this struck her as ridiculous. High above their heads were yellow plain lights, not florescent or glaring lights. They were pleasant to those suffering migraines.

“What is this place?”

“Uik.” The two walked along the large hall, the ceiling was around a hundred feet above their heads and the width must have been half that, or it seemed as much.

“Ever get the feeling you’re out of place?”

“Erh.” Sonic Boom looked behind him as a Transformer walked by, Veren followed his gaze. The robot did not stop or notice them but continued on his way. She hit Sonic Boom over the head getting his attention, as he rubbed his ailment. “Que huop tesk loo?”

“Stop gawking, we need to find priority number one.” She turns and ran down the hall. Her Mini-Con followed tromping right after her. They turn the corner and find nothing of interest, but a door. They turn and find a way leading out of the halls, and rush onto the over view of what was a balcony for Transformers, ten feet high. Sonic Boom gripped Veren under the arms, yet again, and leaped up onto the rim. He cocked his head when he found they were on the rail, but within a walkway for the inhabitants of their own design.

Veren peered over the rail. “Look at this.”

“Hrmm?” he looked over her shoulder to find a type of court system taking place. At the head of the room was a TV monitor displaying an aged human’s face as he spoke something Sonic Boom was not interested in. In the pews farthest across from Sonic Boom sat few Transformers with humans, but to him it seemed the ratio favored the larger mechanoids. There was a jury to the far side as well, consisting of both species of robot and humans. He counted three floaters within the room taking record of what was being sad or done. A Transformer sat on the stand as another questioned him walking in circles. Two larger Autobots stood by the exits at the end of the room opposite the judge and beside a door across from him. He could tell the Transformer on the stand was a Decepticon…a not so happy Decepticon.

Veren turns to him. “You’re right. Let’s go.” She turns and runs along the balcony. He follows her but halts. He lifts his head back twitching his ears around as a dog listening. She halts and looks back. “Do you hear something?”

“Guamon crest tio marest tongo.” He points down the opposite way they were heading.

“Then let’s go.” She jumps onto his back and he takes off running. She looks over the rail down at the court, taking place before it disappears behind a thick wall. She gripped the Mini-Con by the rim around his neck as he leaps over a human. She yells something to them as they dash down the stairs leading onto the walkway. Sonic Boom spots another stair line and heads for it, dashing down just as the human makes her way down the stairs. He slips on the small steps and slides the rest of the way down, across his chest with scraping sparks. He jumps back to his feet and glances around the flat area on the human levels.

“Gum terre cust bopu.” He huffs and runs to another staircase leading up. He paused studying the steps before he makes his move. He runs right up the steps and back onto another level of the area. He was completely lost.

Veren points up another walkway stair. “How about that way?” Sonic Boom wastes no time in climbing the stairs and running along the pathway. Slowly, the two can hear more voices growing louder and louder. He halts immediately as she hops off. The two lean over the edge looking down.

They witness Optimus Prime with a group of men. It was not the same as the court system with the Decepticon, this was more of a meeting. Prime was standing with his back to them listening to one of the men. Author Celestial stood beside him. The three men Prime stared down at sat a metal desk that was stationed on the floor, they looked up at him as one spoke of something about children and the future of Earth, and other laws governing rights.

Prime listened to the human announce the case they were debating over. He was a little eased by the thought Hot Shot left in charge of Ocean city, he knew he could trust the veteran soldier. Now Prime concentrated his thought processes in the report this human gave him.

He was a man just over the hill, his dark brown hair slowly changing as the leaves of autumn would. Gray. He wore a fine suit. They all wore suits. He went on:

“… Case considering James D. Rue, and the obligations that have been listed considering certain humility rights.” He fixed some papers straightening the desk out. “Optimus Prime, we have reviewed your case; I can speak for all of us when I say we were shocked.”

“Can you please disclose the exact points of the file,” the man on his right asks.

“Very well.” He dupes his large head before he begins. “In the file you reviewed, Veren was appointed under Autobot and ERPP choice security more than six months ago, under heavy guard within my own station as almost all civilians under threat of an assassin surveillance. But I have concerns for the Mini-Con involved, that was the commencement of this situation. Veren, however, is willing to follow this Mini-Con wherever he wanders. I maintained my solicitude, until I witnessed her placing mortal life to succor another Autobot. She remonstrates her desires to further aid the Autobots war effort, but a legal guardian is not associated within this area. As you reviewed the file she has a leave from schooling for the standing year and is orphan receiving social security and currently supported by the cities resources until a more appropriate means can be reached.”

He took a breath and concluded his statement. “I’ve come before you to ask that perhaps, well… could her request be deliberated accessing her privilege to training for combat and military war-fare under Autobot supervision?”

The man on the left leaned over speaking with the man in the middle-the man on the right followed this motion. They spoke hushed, Prime didn’t bother to listen as it seemed they didn’t want him hearing. The area was cold and silent, much of the way governing any judgment. Prime disliked the harsher points of ruling, but knew they were necessary if at times harsh and unfair. On Cybertron similar ‘hearings’ were held to judge criminals captured that posed absolute threat to the cities and the inhabitants, they even put away criminal Transformers that were not Decepticon or held any account to that nature. There was no such thing as black and white. However, he would rather that over the majority of free evil any day, but never liked it to the point devoid of emotion.

“Your request must be denied, I’m afraid to say,” spoke the man in the middle.

“What?” He turns to the man to the right. He sounded more surprised than he was actually.

The man took a deep breath before continuing. “Ms. Rue has not been trained, signed up, let alone obtained necessary GPA for a the task as becoming a soldier. Ignoring these facts she has recently aged seventeen. There are plenty of warriors from Cybertron that are still on stand by, and as I understand, not long ago Ocean city was under attack.”

“Yes,” Prime broke in, “that was when she jeopardized her own life. That’s why I’m asking. You’ve spoken to Spike once or twice—he’s one of my warriors. The fact is that no human or Autobot can take the position that I have set for Veren, the Mini-Con she has obtained is unlike any I have perceived in the future events.” This wasn’t true, he knew, but fought to keep the notion from his process threads for the time. “It attacks Decepticon’s and that’s why it’s crucial. I’m not applying her to become a soldier, just only the training and discipline required to forge one. She has potential, but I’m aware only individuals eighteen or older may apply. I would like to have her prepared for future assassination attempts…to protect her.”

“You say the Mini-Con is the cause of so much trouble?” the man in the middle inquires.

“Ehh—yes—”

“There are still many humans within the ERPP guarded within your Cybertron cities, and they do not ask for training let alone a place in your war.” He reorganizes the paper, rearranging few sheets. He leans to look up at Prime. “Some wish to return home.” His voice was cold and solemn.

Prime sighs frustrated.

“As for James, if the Mini-Con is the problem then separate the two. That might ease the attacks if it’s somewhere safe.”

Prime was about to speak once more when a voice cried.

“No way!”

“What—” Prime turns to find Veren walking up with Sonic Boom. The big Mini-Con’s feet stomp the ground in a no echo tone as he approached behind his shorter ally. She halts just beside Prime’s right leg glaring over his shin at the men in fine suits. She clinches her fists as she protested. “There’s no way you’re separating Sonic Boom and I!”

“Grarr!” He leans over her shoulder to roar.

“No matter what the Decepticon’s do, I will not give him up! So a bunch of you sappy, wappy, geeks with your government power are not getting anywhere near him!”

“James D. Rue, I presume?” The man in the middle sat up a little straighter maintaining a stone frown.

She takes her helmet off throwing it to the ground with a shattering BAM. “Veren! I’m Veren!”

“Your legal name is James.”

She began pacing. “You try living through a Decepticon raid while concealing a flashing red light! See how much fun that is!”

Before anything in relation to this incident could be voiced, Author broke in. “Board of directors, perhaps Prime’s idea should be deliberated. What possible harm can there be in training the individual mentioned? As it is in schooling as colleague and high school are, they are identical in fact…aside from the differing environments? And in a another year she will be eighteen and illegible to enlist to the regular military, providing she passes the necessary tests required….” He gave Veren an inspecting glance. “Could an exception be made considering her involvement with the Mini-Con in question.”

“What are you? Prime’s lawyer?” Veren growls.

“No. I’m merely an advisor.”

Sonic Boom huffed as though he did not believe this.

The three men were once again whispering among each other about this ideal so far.

Optimus turns to Veren. “How long have you been here?”

“Since you began.”

“Attention, a decision has been set upon.” The man in the middle announced. “James, may we have your attention as well.”

“I don’t see why. I wasn’t invited to this party.” She turns away in a ennuyé manner.

“Optimus Prime? Do you honestly imagine anyone training her?” He directs up to the larger Autobot.

“I’m listening!” she snarled spinning around. She decided to cooperate for now, she didn’t want to in danger her chances of staying with her friend.

The man in the middle wrote something on a sheet of paper and spoke. “Optimus Prime, under regulation that you will uphold your word and give James D. Rue some discipline in form of self defense, a human representative of your home town will be selected to advise Ms. Rue in these methods. She will not, in any way, shape, or form aid you or your Autobots in conflict with enemy Cybertronians. If she does, immediate expelling will be administrated taking her from Ocean city to another one of the Cybertron cities. In this case scenario the Mini-Con in question will remain at Ocean city. Do you understand, Optimus Prime?” He looked up at the large Autobot, once again.

“I do.”

“No you don’t.”

“Now what?” He turns looking down at arrogant Veren.

She had already slipped her helmet on and walked right up to the men in fine suits. She was flustered and ticked, staring at them brimming with annoyance for these men. Without a word she abruptly slid her arm across the desk throwing many papers up zipping through the air. Such behavior would have been considered insubordinate. She leaned over the table turning her head on its side growling at the men. “I’ve had enough of your financial system, balances and all that crap. I don’t care for it any more. You’re not the ones ruling my life deciding who I am; what I’ll do two days from now, a month, five thousand years. I’m in control now, whether you like it or not. I’m not your nations’ future I’m my last hope. So, if you’ll excuse my friend and I, we’re going window-shopping. After that,” She shrugs tilting away. “I don’t know.” She begins walking away as Sonic Boom watched.

“You will no longer receive a check.”

“A check?” She calls in an off voice.

“Your endorsement check will be cut off, you will no longer receive financial support, your account will be frozen.”

“Yeah. Like I really needed the money?” She turns away. Sonic Boom followed her as she went.

Veren did need the check. A lot. It was the only thing feeding her and getting her clothing. Now that she had decided she was on her own, there was little government officials could do. She could not be placed back in an orphanage, her carcass could be shipped back to Ocean city in the same match box the others would. She was homeless but not alone.

This time she and Sonic Boom left through the exit at the front of the large building, through the human entrance. An Autobot entered through a larger door simultaneously as they left. A guard within the main office just beyond the doors had asked them what they were doing there. She brushed him aside as Sonic Boom snapped at his face.

When the two reached the street the raptor fixed his form to the motorcycle and Veren slipped onto his seat. No revving of his motor followed she impassively kicked off riding from the building across to the barbed wire fence defending the electric lake, from here the same as entering.

She had been serious about window-shopping, riding her motorcycle Mini-Con down the crowded street. This was Washington DC. She had to look around a bit before leaving to…wherever. She found seeing strange things rather than buying curios were far more rewarding to her self. Curios cost money and weighed mass, sight seeing usually did not. Traffic was terrible and she understood why she and Sonic Boom had been so far behind Prime.

She found that after the vexing event she was hungry. She stopped Sonic Boom near a hot dog vendor and purchased with her last ten, two over priced pigs in a bun. Across the street from the hot dog vendor was the Greener Days Park. The two dashed across the street gaining entry onto the soft cool green grass under soft glow of the sun. There was a bench under a tree to eat her hot dogs while setting the helmet on the bench beside her to allow fresh air onto her face. Sonic Boom stood beside her like a guard.

Families were within the park, it reminded Veren of Ocean city without the Transformers. At the heart of the park was the large sandbox with slide, swings, monkey bars, jungle-jim, and tuber system. The construction was teaming with many children, different ages, playing and shouting fun phrases to each other.

Sonic Boom watched fascinated.

“You can go play with them.”

“Ur?” He turns to Veren curious he heard her lips right.

She was still eating the first hot dog as though she hadn’t spoke, but she did. She repeated, “Go on. Play with the little kids. I’ll wait here till you’re done.”

He bobbed his head in submission giving a chirp. He turned clanking over to the child on city construction. “Cetah,” was his form of greeting.

Half the kids that spotted him immediately fled, the other half remained frightened of the guest. Sonic Boom stopped short of the sandbox lowering his head and body with his hands out. This form showed he was harmless, along with a few coos generated softly.

“It’s not dangerous,” one boy, about six-took immediate charge. He walked right up to Sonic Boom as the other children remained a ways behind his path huddled together.

The Mini-Con arched his neck not wanting to be struck. The child hesitated realizing this wasn’t a toy, he found his composure and calmly walked up reaching a hand out. This, Sonic Boom recognized, as a welcomed greeting. He stepped up onto the soft sand but kept his snout out of reach until he was certain his nose would not be hit. The boy to touched him on the knee, a part of the tall Mini-Con he could reach from where he stood. He stepped closer to Sonic Boom touching him around his stomach area. He took it as his duty to find out how stable Sonic Boom really was by pushing against him with both hands as if to topple him like a tower of blocks. The Mini-Con didn’t budge.

By now more children lost their fear were eager to explore this ‘dinosaur’ that abruptly appeared. One boy was just behind his left flank trying to figure out how such a large tail was attached to such a small hip. An older girl was feeling the joints that attached his metal shredding claws to his palm, pressing his thumb like she would her kitten to see his claws extend, Sonic Boom’s merely straightened out. Someone he couldn’t see was fooling with one of his shoulder blades. A small boy held up his younger brother so he could touch his snout. He smiled gripping at the edge of his lips feeling under the rim for his teeth. Sonic Boom bared a row of glistening daggers capable of piercing the densest armor.

The Mini-Con didn’t understand the fascination of humans for his kind. He enjoyed the attention though. The human children didn’t know what he was, they knew he was a Transformer but that was all. It was not often they had the chance to see one, let alone feel the dense trythilium plated skin and armor that went through harsh battles for their world’s safety. His armor composition was more plated than skin like. He understood the children were drawn to him under fascination, humans often times were drawn to dangerous forces due to curiosity. He didn’t understand himself, but he was not drawn to his being because of curiosity it was his way of life being perpetually confused by who he really was. He felt Veren knew something but she seemed as puzzled as he was at times. But he did dream.

As he looked down at the children gathering around him, he wondered what they would look like when they were fully developed. He knew humans grew up in only a matter of years. He also noted that a number of parents had emerged to lead their children away from the playground, one snatched their child up right next to him. This deeply disturbed Sonic Boom. He felt he had done wrong.

He decided to escape his woes by first escaping the mob of children. Only when he was clear of their grubby hands did he surrender to a quadruped mode. He shook himself looking exuberant for the children. His ears straight up-his eyes bright and wide. They didn’t understand. He quickly patched this problem up when he spotted one with a Frisbee. He snatched the toy between his jaws and trotted away.

“It took my Frisbee!”

Sonic Boom looked back playfully challenging the child to chase him down. It worked. A section of the kids ran after him. He jumped straight up when his feet touched the ground he galloped away with them chasing, yelling, laughing, calling. He kept just out of their grasp, dodging here, jumping there, ducking last minute. He was having fun, chased with no casualties if captured.

On the bench distance from this Veren sat after the hot dogs had been consumed, they sat within her comfortably. She lay with her arms across the bench’s back watching Sonic Boom prance around as the children chased him, in belief they could actually catch him. He wasn’t even trying. But she smiled behind her helmet as she watched. She heard Optimus walk up right behind her but ignored him at first.

“Where will you go?” He looked across the park to watch Sonic Boom for a happy moment. He wondered how such a Mini-Con could be so cheery.

“Hmm,” Veren thought a moment to buy time. “I don’t know.”

“It’s illegal to own a Mini-Con. All humans know that.”

“But not all humans abide to laws. Some do illegal things. Everyone knows the law, and they break it any way because it’s there.”

“Laws are created for your safety and the safety of others,” on a second note he adds, “Though some, I admit, seem pointless or cruel.” The no Mini-Con rule he wasn’t in full understanding of, it was the only official rule that was made by the government pertaining to all fifty states that seemed highly disregarded. He saw humans all the time with employed Mini-Cons but it was such a disregarded rule there was no actual way to keep up with it, no real punishment other than a slap on the wrist, a fine, and then the slap to the governments face when the lawyer actually won the case because the client had ‘disabilities’ and needed the help. Soon the law would be just one of those added to the book of failures.

“Lovely government, aye?” she quipped to his thoughts.

“I didn’t agree with them.”

“Huff!” She snorted concentrating on Sonic Boom.

Prime waited a moment before speaking again, he didn’t want to take her by complete surprise. “I was going to ask you something.” He had hoped she would ignore him so he could continue, hopefully he would say something that caught her attention. “You had no choice but to drop out of high school after awakening your Mini-Con, in some situations you require high school diploma’s and college degrees in many fields to obtain an application for one of the Cybertron cities, even sub towns. I… can pull some wires and have you working for us. You’ll be paid to train in skill and endurance for any potential time of Decepticon attack. It’ll be hard work, but you might be able to graduate as a warrior. You’ll also keep your Mini-Con. Would you consider it?”

Veren didn’t say a thing.

“You’ll be paid to do what you want, and you will have the protection of Autobot and Earth Resources. Do you comply?”

Veren was still silent ignoring him well with the dreaded helmet.

Prime sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” He watched as Sonic Boom climbed through the jungle-jim at an embarrassing rate.

“I don’t own him.”

“Hmm?” He turns to look at her. She hadn’t moved at all. She was very still. He wondered if he had heard her correctly.

“I don’t own him. Nobody does.” She slips her helmet off to look up at Prime with her true face. “He just came to me.”

“Do you know why?”

She recovers her face standing off the bench. She calls through the helmet. “Sonic Boom!” She watched him turn and trot over to her. “I needed him, and he came to me. That’s all there was.”

Sonic Boom was accompanied by a large number of children. He stopped and gave a cheerful chirp standing upright.

“It’s an Autobot!” Now the group of kids shifts between Prime’s feet and Sonic Boom’s waist.

“Does it hurt when you transform?” a little boy calls up to the enormous Transformer.

“Does it hurt when you breath?” he replies gently.

“No…” he then pipes excited, “is it sorta like breathing?”

Optimus gives a warm chuckle. “I suppose.”

He was partial to the young children of Earth. He found them more curios towards the world than older generations, constantly asking why, why was. The Transformers were no exception. These children existed in a world where Decepticon’s could attack and Autobot’s would be there to stop them. They looked up to the Autobot’s-literally-as heroes, some even saw the Decepticon’s as role models for crime. Many of these children were still very innocent, new to the world and in wonder to its ways. They marveled at every little thing from Mini-Cons to a fly crawling over the TV screen. And the way some thought was just pure sweet.

Optimus chuckles turning to the young humans. “No, Veren’s right. It’s time we be getting back.”

The kids chorus a groan, Veren had to join them disappointed drone as well though she was the one suggesting they leave.

“Come on Veren.” He holds a hand up in farewell. “Take care kids.” He turns walking beyond the fence to the parking lot. Sonic Boom was following him as Veren said a few famous last words.

“I hope you guys had fun with Sonic Boom. Always obey your parents and remember, not all ‘bot’s are created equal.”

“Goodbye!” They cry as Veren catches up with Sonic Boom and Prime.

“Transform.” He calls the command sliding down into his semi-uniform.

“Ackoo!” Sonic Boom hops up into a small motorcycle, which Veren leaps onto. As Prime shifts his gears and drives away, Veren leans back pulling Sonic Boom onto his rear wheel. She pulls her arm down signaling a message for the kids. They followed her example.

Prime blares a honk as he veers off onto the main road with the flow of traffic. Veren speeds off after him to catch up and drive along side.

The ancient leader of the Autobots had no clue as to what would come next. As he recalled Veren had not agreed to his terms but he could afford to give her time, for now that was all she had. He did not desire to contemplate of what would come, what would transpire if the Decepticons where to attack spontaneously while he traveled with the human and her rare Mini-Con along the peaceful stretch of high way. How he would handle his habituated team with the insubordinate and arrogant James always bickering, pushing into his line to fight and insisting to be allowed the burden. What he did know was that he could not stand for it and would take action soon as it came by separating the Mini-Con from human, by force if necessary. To much was riding on his astute senses to read what would come next, when Megatron would next strike where and for what reason. So many lives depended on his decisions while so many were so fragile and could be stolen in the breath of a whisper.

All that mattered were his intentions, made for the better of the people. But which intentions meaning well actually were?

13
Megatron paced his throne room irritable and at this exact moment highly dangerous. He was prepared to kill anything within arms reach notwithstanding usefulness to the Decepticon cause, if it be Starscream that stuck his head into the chamber or his own Mini-Con parasite, if he did not want to be bothered he would not be bothered. And the slight exercise might release some strain from his servos. He felt every bit of his rage command swell up within his spark but nowhere to put it. He had thought about attacking one of his lesser warriors rather wait but dismissed this thought, he needed them and would not encourage their destruction, that would most likely come later by way of events thus far.

Every advance technology at his finger tips, computers beyond the years of the Autobot’s and human combined, yet the one thing he desired he could not simply take from a human. There was no accurate word of description in the human language that could express his burning desire to kill something pure by honor. Optimus Prime. But it was that human that had damaged him. A human had tricked him. A human had said “no” to him.

None said no to him and lived.

“ARRGH!” With a shout he cracks the wall with his fist, ancient rock chipped away, more than five tons. It was not a useless ruse to contemplate this being’s existence, his existence only meant Megatron was to destroy him as all things that were not Decepticon, that were inferior to his vision were to be dismantled and scrap for the fuel of his war machines. The entire eradication of the human race was yet another task before ruling the universe and with them the Autobots allied soldiers, their formidable human cohorts…and that human that had stolen the Mini-Con from him. Second that, maybe Megatron would keep that human as a pet. A pet as long as his puny life existed to torment on the hated slag pulp, nothing like being the last of your species to break ones sanity. These visions did not aid Megatron’s rage. It was those like Veren that made him loathe the entire lot of them.

“Oh no!” Megatron thundered to himself. “Now I cannot get that putrid wart out of my memory banks!”

Veren was asleep in bed while dreams of torture, chaos, and misery ran through every circuit of Megatron’s hulking being. Her pillow plopped over her head and her hair ruffled forward like the quills of a porcupine, this was the first full night of sleep she had had since she arrived at Ocean city nearly five months before. Sonic Boom was finally asleep in the next room, he had finally shut the TV off. She was so deep within sleep world she had no idea what she was dreaming about.

Forces beyond normal control poured cold water all over her, down her back. She jumped straight up on her bed glaring down with a chattered snarl. “WHART?”

It wasn’t long before Veren had dried herself off and slapped on clothing—she jerked about the room still freezing and chattering. She didn’t bother to eat breakfast, there was no point but to avoid sickness later on she ate two crackers. In less than an hour she was ready to leave and was well hyper and moved out the door slamming it on Sonic Boom’s face with a swift slap of the button. She ran down the hall to get ahead of what was coming.

A five hundred-pound raptor ran after her snarling angry. He would invoke his revenge.

Already in the battle suit assigned to him Spike sat on the rail of the pathway that circled central tower AKA Crows Nest, at the top of the tower. He looked up at Veren as she walks up with Sonic Boom close behind. “Morning,” he rings pleasingly.

“Good,” she responds not bothering with morning. She looks around, “Where’s the training supposed to start?”

“Well, when you put this on.” He tossed her a thick black belt.

She catches it by the buckle and looks at it. She looks up at him responding, “What is this?”

“Put it on. You’re going to need it.”

Veren was about to slip it through her pants loops, but Spike stopped her saying that wasn’t necessary. She shrugged and without tucking her shirt in, loops the belt around her body and fastens it. It hung off her hip loosely and felt heavy like it was solid metal.

He motions as though the belt were around his own waist. “Press the five knobs into the belt buckle.”

Veren did as she was told suspecting what would come next but not the sensation. When the knobs were pressed in, the front of the buckle gleamed. A glowing veil covered Veren’s body from her neck to her feet, as the light died it left behind the protruding structures of armor. Her suit was marked black and blue with a streak of lime green here or there. Light yet impossibly dense armor covered her arms, legs, hip, midsection, and chest. It felt tight on her but comfortable, she noted a temperature change.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it.” Before she can ask another question, he gives her the remaining facts. “The entire suit was in the belt, some Cybertronian technology of matter displacement, a little difficult to explain. Your clothing took the place of the armor inside the belt.”

“What if it malfunctions?”

“You’re not removing it out and public.” He growls hopping to his feet. “Now come on, it’s time to start your training.” He paces in front of her. “We’ll start out easy, my schedule. You’ll eat only from the cafeteria twice a day. I’ve been doing this for years, so you should be able to get used to it mighty well or else you wouldn’t have been so intent on getting your Mini-Con. We’ll start with a brisk jog down the bridge to the shore and back.”

Veren raises a hand. “Are we going to walk there first?”

“Hell no! Now get started!”

Veren didn’t budge as she exchanged a glance with Sonic Boom.

“Was I talking to myself? Move it! You’re not paid for nothing done you miserable puss worm!” He hollers.

He scoffs. “Because I was trained to specifically. Special ordinance the cities follow on human participants of battle…political trash. You’re a trainee until you’re given an extremely difficult test and exam, and a whole other stuff if the government decides to just slap it on you.”

“Oh,” Veren groans.

Ratchet steps outside on a bridge to gaze out over the city. “It’s so good to be functioning again.” As a non-fighter of his team and strict medic Ratchet had taken longer to repair and recover than the other warriors. He moves out into the fresh rays of light greeting the new day with a smile, the water shimmers like diamonds under the rising sun. “This would be a great day to visit Magma city.” He looked down over at the main bridge noticing figures on the move. “Huh?” He zooms in. He sees Spike leading Veren and Sonic Boom along in training. He chuckles to himself. “Well, isn’t this just a sight.”

In the deep jungles far from cortez, beyond a dangerous stretch from Jungle city, there was roughly no human life at all. Aircrafts rarely flew by over the deeper areas of the jungles, there was no use to unless cutting across the land to buy time and fuel.

Offbeat maundered to himself as he made his way up the pathway under the setting sun of the old day dying. The Decepticon didn’t need to see, so training during the night kept his circuits from overheating as badly. He saw the world as clearly as day with only slight color difference he didn’t notice because he was not human. The path had been cleared not so many years ago to insure if anyone found the area no one would suspect Decepticon’s roamed the tropical forest, in truth later they would find no one ever did. The path was wide and crushed flat with the foot imprints of many large Decepticon’s, even Megatron’s famous three toes. Cyclonus footprints were the freshest so far which meant he was still out in this area. Megatron punished any Decepticon that cheated on the training course. When a Decepticon came out to train, he really meant it else he would not return. He looked up and happened to see Cyclonus jogging back. He moved out of his path-the weaker Decepticon always submitted to the larger teammate-so Cyclonus could jog on by.

Cyclonus wasn’t even out of breath, but red mud streaked his thighs and chest. He giggled haunting to Offbeat as he passed, “The arroyo’s flooded again.” He cackled as he ran down the path.

“Oh great,” Offbeat growled. He hated the water. He hated water with thick mud even more. But this mud was the worst, it clung to the outer structure like glue. The first time he tried crossing the arroyo he sank and was stuck until Luminare detected his body. The cleaning that was performed lasted three months, even after that he hacked up dry dust for that year gauging a good laugh out of Hatchet, up until the time Megatron executed him quite brutally for reasons to this day remain a mystery to his team. He still had to live down that embarrassment for a year until Demolishor got his chest stuck in a metal grinding machine.

He came to the top of the mountain and looked down the path he would have to travel. It was all the way along the horizon, flip the switch, then come back. A thirty-mile run. He hoped it hadn’t been changed since his last run. He looked over at Casket as he sat by the path.

The Mini-Con made a low beep to his presence.

“Time me,” Offbeat didn’t ‘mutter’ a please or ‘thank you’. He couldn’t. The only forms of life he was superior to were Mini-Cons and humans. Even humans pushed him around, they had more free will than slave driven Mini-Con’s. It made Offbeat feel rotten. The whole reason why he was a Decepticon rather than an Autobot. At least he felt superior to some Autobots and their Mini-Cons. In Megatron’s mind he was still organic dirt.

He took off down the path, the sand soft under his large solid feet, roots and tree limbs snapped, rocks were crushed. He hopped over a small pit grabbing the edge of the wall before falling in. He slung himself up and continued running. He came to hurdles of great trees pushed down for the Decepticon’s to leap over. This was an easy task for most, but Offbeat. His strides had to be high and wide. He barely cleared five of the hurdles when he stumbled and fell over the sixth. He scrambled to his feet and kept running. He came to a downward climb where his speed increased.

The ground here was crushed inward, uneven with deep grooves from previous Decepticon’s. It was one of the harder obstacles. He jumped before the base of the slope where he knew a booby trap had been placed. As predicted spikes jutted up from a holograph ground feature. He could tell from the change in terrain. He scrunched his body up to perform a flip and landed on a large, cracked boulder. He leapt off this large rock running on a stable path for a chasm. The chasm was to far for a jump, instead metal columns had been placed sticking from the ground. He jumped onto the first and jumped again and again. They were spaced out far and a slight pause was needed to get momentum for the next leap. One had crumbled, possibly someone became angry or it was just its time to give out. He made the last leap onto the path taxed out of breath. He made sure his footing was right and ran on.

He could now see the arroyo that had to be crossed. It wasn’t as bad as he had thought. The water was still murky and the banks were streaked with red mud since Cyclonus’ pass. He jumped right in. The current was swift and he sank deeper into the mud, but he crawled for the edge of the hard mud bank. He had learned never to go for the direct course of the bank but to let the current carry you and slide parallel to the shore. He pulled himself from the muck and stepped onto the packed hard ground. This arroyo was the only area where footprints never remained long. He was slick and muddy all over but he didn’t bother to shake himself before continuing.

Later, the grinding thick mud would need cleaning from his delicate joints.

The last obstacle was undoubtedly the most difficult. He urged himself on, to beat his best time. The ground ahead had black burnt marks all over the place, the vegetation looked like gelatin salad. He ran across the terrain, abruptly a tremor went through the soil. The lasers were not buried deep within the ground nor were they hidden well within the grove of trees, when they detected his movement they opened fire! He ducked, dodged, leapt, scoured, rolled, jumped, sped, skid, lunged. At the edge of the clearing the trees were torn but not extremely mauled as those he dodged by now. He slid across the path sending crushed rock into his hide, quickly he dusted away a small space on the ground with a hand. A small switch. He flipped it. The laser fire abruptly stopped before the entire arsenal could turn live plasma rounds onto his frame. In Decepticon ideology you either had it or you didn’t and if you didn’t you were no better than scrap and dumped. For this day Offbeat lived to run his course.

He stood up and took a survey of his surroundings. It would not be long before the machine reset itself and the laser fire would begin again. He took off in a jog to return back.

Veren had to stop for a good pan while her chest felt like it would explode. Her head hung, the inside of her helmet was cool, but wet, surprisingly her body was dry. She had barely jogged a fourth of the bridges length, and though at school she was required a timed mile run weekly the bridge was more than a mile.

Spike paused besides her leaning over. He had not broken out in a sweat. “Do you need a break?”

Yeah, Veren thought, but the words wouldn’t come out.

“Gawoo,” Sonic Boom hops up and down a ways in front of her. He was mocking Veren. He wagged his tail and hopped up and down again, dancing on one foot-the other raised almost to level with his chest. “Caiya dictweg muroo fou mortowa zillbaba! Oan durhe hamar furn xeuionb new deacka bahh nawr!”

“Why you!” Veren lunged for him.

Sonic Boom yelped and ran from her, he made sure Veren remained within distance to grab him, but not close enough to be grabbed.

“I’ll rip your vocal circuit out and feed it back to you!”

“Veren, wait up!” Spike ran after them.

After a long hour, they made it to the end of the bridge. Veren looked so tired that Spike suggested a break. She insisted they continue.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying.”

“I’m doing what I’m paid for.”

“Push-up’s,” Spike called as he walked along the beach. “In the sand, chop, chop!”

She groaned as she moved to toes and hands, she sank in the soft sand. “How many?”

“As many as you can.”

Sonic Boom kept count in his language. He counted up to ‘ata’, which was twenty-one.

“Set-ups!” Spike found a piece of driftwood and used it as a cane. The tip sank into the wet sand as he leaned on it.

Sonic Boom seemed to know what Veren was thinking, when she moved to her back he went over to hold her feet down.

“No, no. Without help,” Spike said.

Sonic Boom sank onto his seat. “Meg,” is all he said.

Veren was able to perform one hundred-six set-ups, before her stomach became so pained. She crawled across the beach over to Spike very exhausted from the work out.

“Good,” he commended. “Now that you’ve completed your warm-ups, let’s get to the real training.

“Real training?” Veren gulped lifting her head.

Sonic Boom tilted his head uttering a, “Reroo.”

Veren chased after Spike all the way to Ocean city. By then it was lunchtime and she was instructed to eat in the cafeteria. That day the food was especially delicious, not that it ever was before. She supposed it was from all the exercising and only two crackers for breakfast. She was as ravenous as a Terrorcon was for energon. After lunch she was introduced to the ‘real training.’ It turned that the real training was a bust.

All Spike wanted her to do was to chase Sonic Boom around wherever he went. Sonic Boom and Spike had gone missing during lunch so Veren ate alone with some other scientist. When she emerged outside she found Sonic Boom with a thick, bright yellow, bracelet around his ankle. Spike instructed Veren to obtain the bracelet from Sonic Boom.

It was a sort of game as catch the flag, but the flag kept moving and there were no other players or no boundaries to where the flag went. Sonic Boom could do anything in his power to keep the bracelet from Veren, fly even so long as neither player grabbed the other but she must acquire the bracelet.

Veren found it much more difficult to snatch the bracelet from his foot. She followed him all over the place, on top of buildings, through control rooms, scientific research areas, cafeteria, the water, even the sky. There was absolutely no way to get the bracelet.

She paused on the small bridge in the park over looking the blue pond with the grass below. She slowly gained control of her panting. “What’s the point of all this?”

“Raw.” Sonic Boom generates a loud thud when he lands on the grass below the bridge. His joints slide smoothly over his rough metal plating of hide and armor as he walks to see Veren and looked up at her.

Offbeat pants, dirty and tired as he runs up to Casket. He looks down at the Mini-Con as his chest heaves collecting any trace bits of hydrogen and nitrogen from the air to convert into faint particles of energon. “What’s my time?”

The Mini-Con could not speak, he merely beeped a few keys. He drew a series of numbers in the soil for the Decepticon.

“Are you serious?” he growled, threatening the Mini-Con’s frail life.

The Mini-Con nodded. He tried to be consoling beeping a form of ‘cheer up’ and ‘better luck next time’.

Offbeat didn’t listen. He growled taking the path down the mountain. He would try again some other time. He knew when Megatron ordered the obstacle course changed, he would order the poor slob to deliver him the run times from the Mini-Con’s memory bank. It would either be Starscream or Ravage, those two were good with programming and memory files. Offbeat was not and didn’t plan to learn for other facts. As he walked down the slope the sun of a new day was now rising giving the red mud caked on his chest a bronze glare. He spotted someone heading up the path. It was Starscream.

Sonic Boom sat Indian style near Veren, she was faced a different way. He was not worried Veren would take the bracelet on his foot, for she wanted to try this with him. Meditation, as he understood, was a form of training that aided the spirit and mind. Sonic Boom had a spirit, a very strong spirit. He wanted to help Veren so he asked her to meditate with him. It seemed to be working. He had never seen a human sit so quietly for this long of time, so motionless. It made him the faintest worried for humans so quiet in his experience were often dead. He knew she wasn’t sleeping.

Once or twice Veren looked over at him and gave him some strange comment to consider.

If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is around, does it make a sound?

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

How big is the universe?

Where do we go after we expire?

What is a question that answers itself?

What if blue was red and red was blue?

Sonic Boom felt himself becoming dizzy from these questions. It was every half-hour that passed. But each question she asked piled onto the next. He knew she was just messing with him, but they were questions he honestly thought about. He appraised that Veren was meditating though, where else could she get mind tweezers like these, not that these were teasers actually had answers but he still considered them seriously? He wondered what else she was contemplating while throwing him a mind killer every so often. Something about him possibly?

14
For an entire month Veren trained and noticed the dramatic change. She wasn’t out of breath as often. She desired not to catch the flag, but to try and get as close to it as possible before the day ended. She was paid well for this exercise but felt this was a bribe to keep her and Sonic Boom as good citizens. In odium to this idea they appointed it as their duty to annoy the local residents as much as possible in a day. It was so incorrigible, both were often chased away by larger Transformers but it always seemed to work in the desired joy. A key punishment was pay deduction. But finally she was able to afford a laptop she so desired with the money saved up.

But gradually she felt that something was amiss though couldn’t place that there was something wrong, maybe it was the cease of the shadows whose job it was to follow her and the Mini-Con around. It wasn’t that. Sonic Boom seemed to notice it too, or maybe it was the fact she was confused. He would turn to her, cock his head and utter a whimper. She felt though it might have been the absence of some Decepticons.

Unlike in twenty-five hour, eight days a week report’s raved Decepticon’s did not attack as often as the public had been lead to believe. Their underground operations were constantly discovered in the world where Decepticon’s had been suspected, one could always find crony humans trying to make sweet deals with crates and barrels of useful materials that were illegal contraband, even Mini-Con plates. These were shipped back to their home on Cybertron in the loads or kept in the Cybertron cities under heavy guard until awakening.

It was a morning like any other, Veren was not perfect in her training and neither was Sonic Boom. The sun was trying to rise but purple clouds seemed to hold it at the edge of the sea. They slowly paced up the pathway to central tower AKA Crows Nest, Veren wearing only the belt and Sonic Boom with the bracelet on his ankle.

Out of nowhere she stopped and turned to Sonic Boom. “Let’s play hooky.”

He jumped up and down in glee yapping, “Au, au, au!”

“Come on!” She leapt from the path onto a roof just below, barely pausing she leaps to another.

Sonic Boom followed making greater leaps.

“You show off!”

“Aroogah!”

On the side of the radio transmitter-across the path Veren and Sonic Boom walked minutes before, a metal bird lands. It gave a fierce hawk shriek, adjusting its sight on human and Mini-Con skipping out of warm ups. He’s a dark blue and a lighter gray than Sonic Boom. Buzzsaw was sharply designed, an old Terrorcon that had survived and thrived on mercenary assignments. His entire body had been customized since those days, he held a high resentment for his fellow Terrorcons always seeking energon where it was and then gathering it, flying in large squads.

His wings had been rendered into sharp thin blades lighter than ten pounds, his body was small and compact, he had a stub tail pointed, his neck was longer than original designs, but his head was small. He carried a lot of hard drive and two missiles on either side of his chest, his only means of escape if his wings couldn’t carry him fast enough.

Buzzsaw was paid well for his services, he made sure he got what he deserved in the end. The sudden, unforeseen, appearance in this Mini-Con had shaken him terribly. He had to give honest consideration in accepting the pay from Megatron, it was too good to pass up. He actually hadn’t been teasing Cyclonus when the bumbling fool called him.

Now the Terrorcon watched as Sonic Boom takes off down the path following human. They jump over the side of Ocean city’s rail to the water below. He knew Veren would ride her Mini-Con away. He had to follow. He gives a shrill cry as he takes off, a thruster in his abdomen gave him left off and he soared. He wasn’t transmitting live, he would never do that. This was dangerous but then again if the Decepticon’s never received his film they would come looking for him. It was either his capture, or destruction. He could live with being captured, he could not live without his head-which held all his tapes and memory.

Planet Cybertron
The planet retained its beauty despite the countless battles between Autobot’s and Decepticon’s. The closer inhabitants moved to the outer rims of the city near the Bad Land territory that was where the scaring lay, that was where the living machines died in their struggle to maintain a peaceful utopia of those that lived within the city-states deeper in t he territory. That was where the towers still stood and energon was still used to protect the planet, though no longer was a threat to defend from the galactic. It was a pro caution. The most threat the Autobot territory received where from aerial invasion from space and possible guerrilla tactics made by Decepticons in space, building weapons to station as the massive planet turned in its cycles.

Below the atmosphere jets soared the skies, cars roamed the streets, robots walked the pathways with humans. It was SciFi. There was something new though. Mechanical birds, robotic animals. They were now a part of the Cybertronians life.

On a road that overlooked the temple of Cybertron where many Mini-Con’s spent their time talking and visiting, a girl sat eating a sandwich she made, a small pale sat beside her with a napkin and cloth from wrapping the sandwich. She loved this spot because the road was under construction and not many Transformers stomped by, she could sit and watch the city in glory from a wonderful view with light and see everything from this point.

Skybomb walks up to the girl and sits down beside her on the rail. He can do this because he is much smaller than normal Decepticon’s but stood higher than the Omnicons, about eleven feet tall. He gives a heavy sigh leaning his chin onto his palms with his elbows rested on his thighs.

She glances at him smirking. She gulps her food down and asks, “How are you today, little brother?”

“Mm,” he moans.

“Tired of your job?”

He sits back a little bit. “I was only given it because of my history. It drives my programming insane.”

She gives a gentle laugh.

“What’s so funny?” He glares at her aggressively.

“You’re cute when you get mad.” She tilts her head to show she meant it seriously.

Sisters. He sighs hitting his head to his knee. “Why do you torture me so?”

“Cause I can.” She stands putting her lunch away and takes a flat item from her lab coat pocket and taps it to his shin. “I got you the other CD.”

“Aw, really?” He takes this between his two fingers gently. “I just love human music.”

“A lot of Autobot’s say that.”

“Can you put it in my disk scanner?” His voice was unintentionally excited, but he couldn’t help it.

“Sure.” She watched as he collapses folding into a small jet. He opens the cockpit for her and she climbs inside to find it a mess with junk all over the passenger’s seat and some sort of broken speaker with wires strewn around his controls. “Skybomb,” she chides, “don’t you ever clean your interior out?”

“I never have time.”

“What do you do all day when you stand guard with the Sights?” She leans over inserting the disk into his scanner. The technical use was to decipher codes and burn needed information but his was used to scan CDs, Skybomb was a young Transformer abusing his own power. She hops off his wing to the ground stepping away. “You’d better stay in your alternate mode. You’d look silly if you started dancing again.”

Skybomb turned a brighter red than his normal color, and it wasn’t the light. A bunch of Decepticons had seen him and that day and it really hurt. He murmured a, “Maybe you’re right.” Adjusted his small wheels and turned gaining speed before sailing over the side of the road. His thrusters burned blue as he gained altitude. He called a goodbye, “Take care, Tech!”

“Don’t do anything Greg would!”

Skybomb sailed over the futuristic surface, high above traffic, but the sky had its boundaries. It was a new area to explore each day and one never knew what they would find. From his height busy robots looked like Mini-Con’s. They worked and visited. Buildings were built upon buildings and only had they begun excavating the old areas of Cybertron buried deep within the planets metal structure. It seemed to the young Decepticon that whenever the planet Cybertron went through some traumatic experience the surface died and within time rebuilt over the ruins of what was, akin to the Earth and if the dinosaurs did die from some meteor or an even deadlier illness. He suddenly wondered about Earth’s ancient history and what had become of the ancient reptiles, he felt sympathy for them but did not understanding why.

Currently many Transformers were working to uncover new areas of Cybertron as the humans did upon their own planet. They all wanted answers but in the long run only the Transformers lived long enough to understand questions in a lifetime. Skybomb loved post-history, he loved to collect it and ask questions, why did certain events take place into leading to an ultimate destiny? Could one really make such a difference? why did it all matter? And most importantly why was there evil?

He hummed to a tune of soft singing when a stray missile struck his back fin. He nose-dived with a shriek that could shatter glass until he strained to pull up. He had smoke. Laser fire whizzed within inches of his jet nose and wings, forcing him to bank and evade, the barrage followed wide turn in an ark. He uttered, “Transform!” and slid across the roof of a metal construction, even when his arms unsnapped from under his chest. He pulled his leg up to him and stood preparing for a fight, but first he had to locate the offender(s).

Three Decepticon’s, each resembling the other stood on a higher roof way above Skybomb by thirty yards. Their armor colors were black, green, and blue with white bodies. They came to the edge of their roof to fire down upon him.

Skybomb evaded their laser fire spinning and halts to fire up two missiles not intending to hit anyone. They disappear when the torpedoes whiz by. He takes this time to fly up.

A simple question as to why he was being attacked was very simple. These three Decepticon’s were very old and Skybomb was very young, the very young Decepticon was on guard duty for excavation in the temples under Cybertron. Cybertron had temples like many other planets with civilizations and gods.

He knew he couldn’t fight three Decepticon’s even if they were older, he would challenge one, but there were three. A bad number to match odds with. He was late already and took a path away from them. They continue pelting free space until their weapons merely dissolve in the atmosphere before reaching the intended target.

“Hold your fire!” the black one responded holding up a fist. “He’s out of range.”

“Megatron won’t like our failure,” the blue growled.

The green one turns to them. “He’ll deal with it. He can’t find warriors as loyal as us anymore.”

The black one waves a hand off. “Come. We must take to the Decepticon side. Autobot’s will have detected the attack.” With that said, three robots change into a set of cars and take a road away.

“Unreal.” Skybomb replies to himself as he flies. “I wonder why they ambushed me.” He didn’t worry about this as much as others would in the given situation, it wasn’t something that had high concern over his lack of attention.

Many Decepticon’s as he did suffered threats from their more violent relatives. Skybomb was just an oddball in his own game, howbeit he felt more of the assassination attempts on him were partly due to the guard duties he took up. He wasn’t strong, held no skill, was still under training—he was not yet a warrior. But he felt like one. He decided later he would ask someone he felt close kinship to about his assignments and maybe if that provoked more keen Decepticon attack. He knew that those three Decepticon’s were well trained. Why had expert warriors been sent after him rather than trash warriors?

Planet Earth
“Some mysteries in destiny may never be something.”
* * *

From where she stood on Sonic Boom’s back, Veren looked down at him. “Did you just say something?”

He glances back at her grinning with the rope between his teeth. “Grerrr.” He was such a sneaky creature.

She sighs looking up at the past noon sun. Am I hearing voices again?

“Hrmm…”

Veren braced herself as the two near the base bridge of Ocean city where it connected to the city itself. Sonic Boom curtly stopped and the human leapt off his back up. She cleared the bridge nicely landing in the road. A car swerved hitting the rail and denting it. She watched amused as the car changed form into Cliffjumper:

“What’s wrong with you?” he bellowed, “Look what you did to the bridge!”

“Hi.”

“Don’t ‘hi’ me! That’s coming out of your check!” He points a finger at her meaning business. She wasn’t impressed.

Sonic Boom leapt up onto the bridge after Veren. He was slick and shiny from the water, only his upper snout was dry. He gave a snarl in greeting to the white and red streaked Autobot.

“You two are both trouble!”

“I like you too.”

“Beag aput.” Something seemed to catch Sonic Boom’s eye. He turns his head off searching a flock of seagulls for an answer. He lowers his head with a hydraulic hiss. “Geh.”

Veren stands up suddenly as though something surprised her. She looks at the sky. “It’s so dry here.”

“Heh?”

The alarm sounds in sudden urgency summoning the warriors to report to the garage of Ocean city. Orders would be given then.

Cliffjumper made his way to the higher level pathway. “I’ll want to see you later.” He called over his shoulder.

“Let’s go. Without the elevator.”

“Eh.” Sonic Boom followed Veren when she ran off. As promised, they didn’t take the elevator. They jumped over, on top of, up the walls of the cities constructions. It was becoming easier and easier for Veren to do this. Her Mini-Con helped her if she miscalculated by grabbing her and aiding her up.

-- -- --

Blaster had the unfortunate pleasure of walking into the garage while Veren ands her Mini-Con argue with Prime, whether they could accompany the Autobot’s on the rescue mission.

“It’s out of the question!”

“And why?” she holds her palms up wanting an explanation—her Mini-Con mimics this display.

“You lack training.”

Spike sat on a supply crate near the ramp listening. He waved to the white and red Autobot car Cliffjumper as he slid onto the ramp and vanished. “I could watch this all day.” He calls to Prime, “Optimus, are you going?”

“Yes.” Exhausted with Veren’s persistence he dropped down into his eighteen-wheeler uniform, his container sliding from his interstellar space pocket to connect with his reformed body. The Autobot needs not a shift of gears into the proper direction, he was on course for the ramp when he changed. “You’re staying Veren. As soon as we enter the gate it’ll shut off.”

Spike opened his door slipping inside the interior of the truck. He pauses though. “I’d like you to come, really, but I have orders.” He closed the door beside him.

Veren crossed her arms. “Humph. Yeah right you’re sorry.”

“Geto cwarr stigga murr que?”

She watched as Prime drove up the glimmering ramp to vanish instantly. “Sonic Boom, can we find them?”

He nods and stands. “Geh.”

“No, wait. Change that. Can we find that Mini-Con?”

Sonic Boom perks at this question, his eyes flash. “Eh!”

Buzzsaw turns his head surprised when he witnesses the two leaving the garage. He thought for sure he would be waiting till the Autobot soldiers returned some hours later, or unless Megatron did capture the desginated target. His eyesight could follow a bee over a mile away, he waited until Veren and Sonic Boom were down the bridge. Only when the human seated on the motorcycle’s back did Buzzsaw take flight. If he were spotted now, his death would be in vain. He also wanted to get paid for his diligent work.

Oklahoma Desert
Prime found he and his ‘bots in a desert…not really found. They knew this was the area of the Mini-Con signal, dry arroyos and gritty sand, a cactus. All around them rose high cliffs of mud rock, barely any life except for the night creatures. Currently they entered between two great cliffs carved from rivers and the wind from long ago. Long, long ago, when much of the world was just sea and Pangea, this place was home to dozens of dinosaur species. After their great extinction this place was rendered to the new animals, rabbits, coyotes, snakes, birds.

The ground was hard packed and stable like a road, but Prime was so heavy he cracked the ground under his tires. Assisting Prime on this mission were Autobot’s Cliffjumper, Blaster, and Hound, with Mini-Con’s Sparkplug, Preceptor, Quail, and Dune.

Spike hops out of Prime’s door when they came to a stop. “Wow,” he exclaims, “sun screen.”

Optimus lets the Mini-Con’s from his container and gives orders. “I want a sedulous search, spread with a full scan and locate anything ending in ‘Con. After two hours we’ll return to this location to hear the findings. Any questions?”

A chorused ‘yes sir’ followed the clear command before the teams separated. There were no clearer orders than scan and return.

Hound was paired with Quail and the little blue Mini-Con pretended to drive the car away while Blaster went solo and Cliffjumper took a stroll with Dune. Prime was always paired with his long time comrade Sparkplug. The two were very old friends and knew the other well, they valued their friendship around energon and the help of humans.

Spike gave a hoot as he sat on High Wire’s bike back. “I’ll see to it that Mini-Con is found right off the bat.” He pulled back for a wheelie as he took off, two other vehicles follow him—Sureshock and Grindor, the components for Preceptor.

Up on the cliff, as Optimus Prime turns driving off through the soft sand in the arroyo two pairs of eyes watch.

Veren was on her stomach laying on the hot rock with Sonic Boom beside as the Autobot’s disperse with the Mini-Con’s. The edge was a jagged sheer drop onto more razor rocks.

She always found it in a tactical view you should only use the same trick when it didn’t involve the same environment, here she and her Mini-Con eavesdropped on the Autobot’s just as they did to the Decepticon’s on their first unofficial rescue mission. The only difference was the fact that the Autobot’s were not looking to attack them, they were out searching for the Mini-Con. Peaceful means.

“Well, what do you think?” After a while of watching and waiting, she directs to her Mini-Con. Around her palms was wrapped a layer of duck tape and gauze.

“Hrmm.” He turns over lying on his back keeping himself raised with his elbows behind him. He was looking up.

“Huh?” Veren asks as she turns over onto her back. Her mind stutters as she stares numb at Skywarp, Starscream, Cyclonus, and Demolishor. Ahead of these four looms Megatron. She wondered how the Autobot’s could have missed him in his nice gray armor on a cliff in broad light. She chortles in a low tone and directs to Sonic Boom, “Ey. I got a plan.”

“Que?” he leans over.

“Surrender is not an option.”

“Eh.”

“We can’t fight.”

“Nay.”

“So, as in the words of some great leader who possibly died not long after saying them….”

Megatron aims his hip mounted cannon for the two while extending his opposite arm. “That Mini-Con or death.”

“Retreat!” Veren somersaults backwards over the cliff with Sonic Boom close behind. The rocks above them crumble when Megatron fired shattering them. “Sho-ot!” she snarls when her shoulder, unprotected, hits the jagged rock side. Ruble rains down with her, she finally kicks the side of the cliff with her foot sending her out away from it and hits the soft sand beyond the jagged rock base. She rolls across it and stands turning to find Sonic Boom.

The Mini-Con shakes his head with gritty soil brushing away. He turns his head up snarling after the Decepticon’s.

Two jets screech from the cliff flying in different directions, their mission to find the new Mini-Con signal. A helicopter thunders as it steers over the cliff hovering over human and Mini-Con.

“How are we supposed to escape from that?” She huffs.

“Argh!” Sonic Boom calls. He raises the gun on his back firing at a ninety-degree angle to hit Cyclonus.

“Ow!” He shrieks when his belly was struck. “Cut that out!” He descends at a horizontal angle his pounding helicopter blades stir the dirt up and sends even the larger rocks rolling.

Veren was thankful yet again for her helmet, but if he lowered furtherr she would be sent into the ground. The sand that struck her arms stung like a thousand angry needles.

“Rawwr!” Sonic Boom jumped straight up into Cyclonus belly ramming with his head.

“Arw—“ He fell to his side winded. “You’re next…Mini-Con…”

He stepped up to Cyclonus snarling at his cockpit.

Veren would have normally enjoyed her friend’s enthusiasm, but a dark ominous shadow passing over her head drew her attention to Megatron as he landed between her and escape. She brought her hands to the ground in order to keep from falling over due to the tremendous shudder, even through soft sand. She looked up at Megatron right when he swung the cannon on his hip around—he fired! She sprang out of the way grabbing the ground with her hands to compensate for poor maneuverability, while darting this and that way. She ducked between the side of the jagged canyon wall and a steady pile of boulders. Megatron blasted these determined to shatter them and send the pieces through her body.

“ARK!”

Veren looked up when Sonic Boom struck the ground and rolled over himself until he came to a rest on his side, his eyes were dim in a dark gray triangle patter on his face. “Sonic Boom!” She ducked when more fire followed.

Cyclonus giggled—after finally recovering—he stepped over to Sonic Boom. “How do you want this Mini-Con? Two or three pieces?”

“Hur?” His eyes flash, he tilts his head. He grabbed Veren holding her as he flipped backwards.

Cyclonus unleashed continuous rounds from a Gatling gun in his wrist ports that could be equipped or de-equipped while he was in helicopter mode. He was now using it as a rapid gun tearing the ground up as Sonic Boom did ten point back flips away from the erupting soil.

He paused in midair as a rock was sent up with him, he kicked it right into the Decepticon’s optics.

“ARWW!” He screeched grabbing his face. “Rotten! Mini-Con!”

Sonic Boom landed to take a breath. He set Veren down about to return to the fight.

“Hey, I need a weapon!” She growled, not stepping away when he pushed her gently with his arm.

“Aur.” He turns to her shaking his head. “Nay, hoogo pat asop mellab bu undaga.” What he said to her was something about a human not fighting Decepticon’s, especially Megatron.

“Like hell I’ll sit on the side lines! Look, you’re not turning into Mr. Prime, and I’m not sitting out while you take a beating. I’ll take one with you. Now give me a weapon, because here comes a really pissed tank!” She sidesteps one way and Sonic Boom backed away the other direction as Megatron careens between the two of them.

“Gop!” Sonic Boom takes the weapon from his shoulder blade wing and throws it to Veren. She catches it and drives it through the rear tread. She winces. Even through her protective bandage the blade sliced her freshly healed palm.

“AGH!” Megatron shrieks as he transforms, grabbing the soil with his hands to twist his shifting form around. “You’ll pay for that!” He tries to crush the human as she scrambles under his foot.

Sonic Boom looks surprised when Veren leaps onto his back. “Charge!” She held her blade beside her chest at an angle that meant, ‘hit hard.’

“Rawwr!” He leaps right up onto Megatron’s face latching on, he bears his teeth at a glowering optic.

He cries out half appalled half in a fit of rage. “Get off me you little brute!” He took Sonic Boom around the mid section trying to pry the Mini-Con off but gave a second thought when the claws dug into his metallic flesh. During this Veren was half considering stabbing him through the skull or not, it seemed unfair to her so she hesitated which in the plague of war could end a life.

“Don’t worry sir, I’ll get them!” Cyclonus ran around raising his fists over his head and jumped up.

“Ark!” Sonic Boom climbed over Megatron’s head and down his back as only he could.

“Cyclonus, wait—“

The Decepticon slowly backed away when Megatron’s face fell from his balled fists. He knew he had done a bad thing. “Uh, sir?” He stares at his leader as he just stands there. He turns to Veren when she let’s out a laugh of pure approval.

“He’s trying not to kill you, bozo! Want an order? Run! Fast.”

“Why you—”

“Cyclonus!” Megatron seizes his smaller warrior crushing one fist around his throat and the other he raises. “See how you like it!” He commences striking Cyclonus over the head continuously at a rapid rate. Cyclonus cries out at first struggling with his leader, but a hit that dents his cranium causes him to go limp. Megatron doesn’t let up because of this, he keeps hitting the poor fool with more fury if it’s possible.

“Getting away…” His head rolls over his thick chest.

“Eh?” Megatron looks up when he weakly points. It was true, during the time he took to punish Cyclonus, Veren and Sonic Boom were now escaping. “You slag heap!” He throws the limp Decepticon aside and proceeds after the two letting his body collapse into a sleek thick dark gray and black tank in amid stride. “Come back here!” he bellows.

Veren hugged Sonic Boom close, she was grinning. When Megatron was in a fit of rage he was easier to get away from, believe it or not. She knew from extensive vigilance that he made costly mistakes when in a heated rage by overlooking crucial details, it was one of the many ploys Optimus Prime used when fighting. Often Megatron became so angry with his rival he forgot the important detail of the moment. The trick of this was having a back door to sneak out when things got too hot.

“I’ll kill you!” This time four barrels lit up, three fired as Veren swerved—the second fire caught them off guard.

Sonic Boom took control as Veren pulled too hard on the steering wheel. “Heck, heck, heck!” He clucked trying to concentrate on the road, or maybe he was laughing. The hot sand was so soft and Sonic Boom’s tires moved fast, the sand he kicked up around his chasse looked like the waves parting of the sea. This was what he had been waiting for, for so long. He was waiting to be free. Free to drive. Free to be happy. Free to be free. The irony of all this was the fact he wasn’t free—in many ways—there was this Decepticon with almost equal speed to him right on his tail. “Arrrooooo…” he howled.

They reached the edge of the great cliffs where they had begun erosion and already were crumbling to the wind and rains. Veren could only see open areas beyond the safety of the rocks, the nearest cover she could make out at her point was an eroding rock pillar at least ten miles away. It wouldn’t hold. But the pillar had some kind of magnetic pulse to it, which she immediately keyed in on. Something calling. It was special and needed attention.

She leans over to Sonic Boom’s motorcycle head. “Hey buddy?”

“Eh?”

“Those rocks! I want to go there, but Megatron will follow me. Can I count on you?”

“Eh, eh! Ago me casta crudeill ockiter marie!”

“Great! Meet me there later, after you lose anger management.”

When they exit the cliff walls, she pulls Sonic Boom hard on his side turning him in the direction she wanted Megatron to go. He skid through the hot sand, it washed over him like dry boiling water. Veren leapt straight up sailing backwards over Megatron as he turned, the great tractor wheels tore up the desert, dry water going everywhere and all over him. Sonic Boom righted himself and sped on, he pulled a wheelie trying to get some traction and he jerked forward. Veren was worried he wouldn’t be able to get away from Megatron’s grinding wheels, but the Mini-Con came down and accelerated. Megatron took off after him, if he had noticed Veren was no longer present to the equation, he didn’t care.

She landed on the ground rolling backwards awkwardly before coming to a rest on her back. She scrambled to her feet dusting herself off and shaking the sand from her pant legs. She turned her head up looking out across the desert, no sign of Decepticons or Autobot’s. She shrugged taking the blade Sonic Boom had left her, her only weapon now. Through all this chasing and following Autobot, she had not considered putting her protective suit on. As she turned away from the dust storm bellowing Megatron and Sonic Boom created, her mind wandered on a new curiosity. What had ever became of Demolishor?

Without warning she ducked. She felt the brush of claws as they plowed into the side of the eroded rock, splintered shards went across her body. If it wasn’t for the helmet she could be blind and dead. She turned her head up to the foreshadowed enemy.

He pulls his claws from the rock carefully maneuvering over Veren’s head. He chuckled. “Guess what I’ve been up to.”

She sighs tired of him already. “I don’t know, Demolishor. Amass me in a maze.”

He brings the claws down once again hollering, “Following your carcass!”

She dives aside rolling to stand up right. It hadn’t been so bad this time, rock didn’t go everywhere however, he recovered quicker than before and brought the claws down again. She jumped aside skidding across the sand nearly falling and turns her head to the side as he brings his other set of claws parallel to the ground. She jumps over them and immediately limbo’s as the other set sails over her body brushing her gut. When she lets out a sigh, she falls to her back. She somersaults backward as he brought the other pair down and swung his other arm around. She kicks the ground pushing her up feeling dizzy with the rolling and dodging. She swings the blade around and slices it across his fingers.

“ARRR!” He wails recoiling his claws and holding his hand delicately. He turns his head to Veren giving her and ugly glare. “That’s the last straw!”

“What? Ticked about having a few fingers cut but your leg was okay to butcher?” She shook her head trying to stop the buzzing, she hoped she could stall him long enough to figure out what to do.

“Another reason to gut your putrid sack!”

“You’re morbid.”

With another cry Demolishor slices out with his damaged hand. She jumps onto it while it slows, he was truly going to slice her with one blow and rip her organs out to bake in the high noon, but she uses it as leverage to leap away. Upon landing on the ground she realizes a terrible error.

“AHH!” She grabs her foot hissing. She had been shoe less, she always went barefoot, and now a large gash poured blood from her heel. “That hurt!”

“Serves you right!” He grips her by the ankle of her pants and lifts her up.

Veren wears an annoyed glare behind the helmet, behind her back she holds her blade.

“Any last words?”

She motions with a finger beckoning. “Come closer child, it’s difficult for me to speak in my old age.” To her surprise he did draw near. Not wanting to disappoint this imprudent Decepticon she stabbed the blade out into his cheek cutting her palm again when it wears across the slick edge.

Demolishor cries out throwing Veren to the ground, he claws the blade from his cheek letting it fall.

Veren was recovering when the weapon struck the ground right by her. She grabs it sticking it onto her belt and runs between Demolishor’s feet to escape. I can’t keep this up, I need to find Sonic Boom. She thinks to herself.

“I’ll turn you into a fleshy pulp nobody will recognize!” He converted into his tractor mode, a deadly construction of chaos to the normal farmer. The saw that was one leg turned on it’s side and whirled sparking in a spectacular array of purple spout fire, it could fire in multiple directions at once, or a single intense blast could be aimed at a particular target. He aimed his sights on Veren firing. “Might as well hold still, it’d be less painful!”

“I wanna be recognized after I die!” She zigzagged impulsively to each side. Demolishor grinding soil-eating motors tore after her. He’s not trying to hit me. Veren realized sick to her stomach. He’s going to eat me! She was almost halfway to the rock pillar but still too far.

Skywarp streaked by as a jet up in the sky, he banked when he passed the pillar and circled the red rock five times. He had detected a signal coming from the rock.

“This is gay.” She spins around when she hears Demolishor saw spinning in for her. She leans back feeling the wisp of the whirling teeth kiss her neck. She does a back flip when the saw swings in again, she hadn’t realized how athletic she had become since training. She ducked under the saw again grabbing the dirt with her hands and crouching letting a leg outstretch across the hot sand, this pose initiated the clock in her head wondering what was going on? She decided whatever it was it was grand. Her heart was pumping in the heat wave of the noonday, her adrenaline was at its peak, and she was having fun. She leaps back from Demolishor spiraling low to the ground in a style that would make an Olympic judge faint. She paused posing….

I don’t know what’s going on, but I like it. But I wonder how far I can push myself. She motions an outstretched hand for Demolishor, while he sat there gawking at her. “I got my groove on.”

“Insensible moron!” He whirled his saw blade in a frenzy at any angle the joints would swivel into.

Veren was committed to a dangerous task. She wasn’t dodging his swings, she dodged them by an inch if not less. Her clothing claws at her body each time his saw whirled by, parting for the gust, she barely had to move at all. Am I really doing this? Or is another force involved? She leaps past the whirling saw onto the canopy’s roof of Demolishor’s cockpit. She takes her blade from her belt slicing it into the joint of his saw.

“AHHH, get off me!” He thrashed the weapon violently, he does manage coming near crushing her with the mere joint. Laser fire comes from gun ports stationed on his hide.

She clings to the join, her clothing is ripped up and her skin is singed. “Does it help if I apologize?”

“NO!” He swings the whirling teeth around again forcing her to retreat. He turns as she plants herself upon the ground. She raises the blade as he raises his saw. “Human!”

“Look out!” She cringes when Cliffjumper plows into Demolishor with his shoulder. He snaps the saw off Demolishor’s back with one twist.

Cliffjumper uses the saw as his own weapon sending it through Demolishor’s hide. After securing the Decepticon he turns to Veren. “What did Optimus tell you?” he growls.

“I had things under control, me and him were just playing.” She was sour with Cliffjumper after he interrupted her study, but it was just as well. Demolishor was getting on her nerves.

“He told you to stay at Ocean city. Don’t you ever listen?”

“There’s a lot of things he tells me, I just chose to only listen to what I would like to hear.”

He sighs rubbing his head looking to the sky. “Why does he put up with you?”

“Because of my little Mini-Con.” She begins to stroll over to the rock pillar. “I think there’s a Mini-Con here.”

“A Mini-Con?” He turns to her in full attention. “Why do you think that?”

“I don’t know.” She scans the area searching for Skywarp but he’s no longer in sight. “It’s like he calls me, I can’t explain it.”

“You sensing a Mini-Con?” He gives a nervous laugh. “That’s as absurd as a human sensing energon.” He was testing her. If she unknowingly blurted out “Yeah, just like that one human,” then he could protest she was just messing with him.

“I know it’s strange!” She didn’t seem to hear him, but sounded to Cliffjumper amazed. “It’s very soft like a whisper but I hear him. He says, “It’s very dry,” and he doesn’t like being alone.” To her she sounded something sympathetic with the Mini-Con. “We gotta find him.” She darts off for the eroded rock limping as best she could on a torn heel.

“Wait up!” He calls before turning to Demolishor. “Stay here, I’ll be by later to interrogate you.”

“Yeah, like I’ll… be here…” He groaned trying to sound sarcastic.

Cliffjumper followed Veren to the base of the pillar. The human limped around the giant expanse as the Autobot follows.

“Keep an eye out, Skywarp was circling this area before you came by.”

“Thunderclash might’ve detected the other Mini-Con. It won’t be long before the other Decepticon’s come by.” He examines the sky above.

“All but Megatron.” Veren took her blade from her belt and began striking the ground chipping rock away.

He leans down to watch what she’s doing. “Why do you say that?”

“I sent him on a wild goose chase on Sonic Boom, but he’ll never catch that goose.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. You’d be surprised what he’s capable of when he puts his desires first hand.” Cliffjumper leans over to help Veren dig. “This where you think the Mini-Con is?” he asked.

“He say’s we’re close.” For some reason she sounded amused.

~ “Veren!” ~

“Hello?” She steps away from the excavation work.

~ “I knew you were out here when I saw your Mini-Con!” ~

“Prime? I thought I was hearing voices in my head.” She turns to Cliffjumper. “Hold on a sec, I really gotta take this call.”

He keeps digging. “Is it Ops?”

“Is the sky blue?” She returns her attention to the radio in her helmet. “How did you know there was a radio in my helmet? I didn’t even know that.” She snickered. She was in so much trouble now. Pay deduction.

~ “Never mind that. Did you tell your Mini-Con to draw the heat off you?” ~

“Why of course. What’s the problem?”

~ “Your plan is back firing. Megatron sent for Starscream’s aid. His sword has been updated since previous battles.” ~

Uh oh. She thinks. “That mean Starscream’s fighting Sonic Boom?”

~ “He’s trying. You need to call him back!” His voice was urgent. ~

“I can’t. If I call him out of the fight, he’ll lead Megatron right to Cliffjumper and I.”

~ “And?” ~

“And we’re digging the Mini-Con out right now, as we speak…well, he is.” She turns checking on the Autobot’s work. “You’re doing great, honey.”

He leans from the small hole he created into the eroded side. “Umm, yes sir.” He looks around concentrating the upload of the global tracking region with scramblers, should the Decepticons try hacking the stream. “Proceed with caution, I think Thunderclash led his master to this area.”

Veren jumps into the red hole and takes over digging.

~ “I’ll get Blaster to join you, he can smash through the rock without collapsing the entire structure.” ~

“What about you sir? You can’t take the Decepticon’s alone while the rest of us are digging.” Cliffjumper eyes Veren as she throws boulder after boulder out of the hole.

~ “The main priority is the Mini-Con, that’s our current mission. We cannot allow the Decepticon’s to claim him.” ~

She glanced over her shoulder appraising Prime’s words under the helmet.

* * *
“NO! I won’t let you do this! It’s evil!”
* * *

She gives her head a shake grunting. She multiplied her effort clawing at the red rock she chipped away, slicing through stone, she was digging her way right under the pillar. She used the temple of the helmet to hit at looser rock sending the red dust over her in a light film.

Cliffjumper peers into the small hole at her once he canceled communications with Optimus. “Veren?” He sees blood on her hands. “Veren!” He drags her from the hole setting her aside.

She shudders slumping forward, “Sonic Boom…be careful…”

“What is that thing?” He exclaims for an explanation to the weapon of choice.

“He gave it to me.” She gently hugs the blade shaking her head. “It’s the best weapon here, but it hurts to use it.”

“No kidding!”

“The Mini-Con. If you don’t dig, I will.” She looks up a little amazed, a threat that she would keep searching even if it meant hurting herself.

“What’s gotten into you?” The Autobot was still somewhat spaced out by these events.

“Mini-Con!”

“Alright, alright, just…sit right there and don’t move. You’re bleeding bad.” He turns away and digs right into the rock, the jagged sediment didn’t bother his metal body, the most it does is annoy the delicate motors in his knuckles.

Veren sat watching feeling somewhat weak. She supposed it was an after effect of the decent fighting expressed prior to the Autobots interruption. They had saved her life and she was grateful but now looking back she was wondering where her brain had been. She turns to her palms. She was bleeding profoundly. She gently rubbed her hands across the dirt. The red sand withered from the pillar created a great coagulation material that would suck the moisture from her blood and then clot the wound. During all the fighting and running, she had forgotten her foot was still hurt. It didn’t surprise her. Now that she was off it the wound throbbed like a second heart.

“Human!” Skywarp made a loud clang when his feet came to the dense ground across from the excavating Autobot and human. “The Mini-Con!” He held out a hand in desire.

Veren just stares at him dully. “Hey, Skywarp, how’s it going?”

“Shut up and produce what I have come to claim!”

“You’re not getting it!” Cliffjumper steps in front of Veren taking the Decepticon’s eyes to his own.

“You know, I think Megatron wants your help,” she quipped. “I was talking to him, and he said he’d commend whoever could catch that idiot, Sonic Boom.”

“I have orders from Megatron to take this Mini-Con! Now!” He raised a blade similar to the one Starscream carried. “Or face me.”

“You Decepticon’s are really—” Before Cliffjumper can finish Skywarp thrust his sword at him, “hostile!” He dodged and delivers a blow to the Decepticon’s back. He kicks him aside and turns back. “Veren!”

“Digging!” She clears out the rock Cliffjumper left and continues excavating.

“Are you still bleeding?” He calls over his shoulder while trying to keep Skywarp from skewering him.

“No.” She lies.

He grabs Skywarp by the midsection with one arm, the other takes the fist holding sword to hold it at bay. Skywarp grapples with the hand holding his sword-wielding arm.

After he secures Skywarp for the moment he calls back to Veren. “Stop and wait for Blaster!”

“He might not get here in time, besides, I’m not letting the Decepticon’s get this Min-Con. He’s afraid!”

“You don’t even know if that’s really where the Mini-Con is!”

“I feel it, okay?” She snarled in a shout.

Cliffjumper is dumbfounded. He decided that Veren was either really stupid, or really moody. He grabs Skywarp’s arm and gives him a firm flip onto his back.

She shoves rock out of the small excavation tunnel she formed. She takes a moment to check on Cliffjumper. He moves away from Skywarp keeping his back to her while the Decepticon recovers. He tackles Skywarp knocking the sword from his hand and cracks his fist against the Decepticon’s, he struggles with the Autobot but gains no upper hand.

She gives a shrug and turns back down crawling to the end of the tunnel and uses the blade double sides. She hit the helmet’s temple to the ceiling crumbling the rock away. She paused staring up through the eyes of the helmet. A pale green glow emitted from a small incision. Abruptly, she lies on her back and chips away at the ceiling with the blade. Carefully of the sides she nicks around the plate to loosen it in its fossilized grip. One more smash with the helmet and the plate breaks free. She didn’t know what to do with it, how to carry it. But something more important caught her mind. She puts the plate in her coat as she crawls for the exit.

~ “Veren!” Optimus’ voice came. ~

“I know Prime, I know!” A cry comes outside the hole as she breaks free and stands. She lowers her head expressing a furrowed brow of contempt. “Megatron!”

Skywarp was beginning to rise as the Decepticon leader turns to her. “Ah, Veren. It was only a matter of time.”

Before what? She wondered She yearned for an answer. She stares stunned at Megatron’s hands, one clutched her own Mini-Con while the other held Spike captive, his head down and a splatter of blood within his visor. “What have you done?” She snarled.

“For someone so small, you do keep your rage in check.” He grins. It hints to Veren he wanted to be kind. “I’ve already intercepted you and your allies audio link.”

Veren noted with curiosity that one horn attached to his helmet was ripped up. Sonic Boom must have given him a fight before he went down.

Cliffjumper was on his back groaning, his shoulder joint was now a smoldering wound with a plume of smoke wafting upward.

“Let them go.” She hissed stepping forward.

“Ah-ah-ah.” Megatron held the hand with Spike up. “You wouldn’t want his blood on your hands.”

She ceased her movement lowering her head. “Do you want another Mini-Con?”

“Hmm…another Mini-Con?”

“Yes.” Sonic Boom’s eyes gleam. He could detect Veren.

“Where is it?”

“With me.”

He glares around, he doesn’t like the situation he is in, he didn’t enjoy being retrained. He clamps his jaw on Megatron’s finger putting every pointy tooth through the dense metal.

He shakes his head planting his feet apart and stands and glares up at Megatron snarling.

“Want to push your luck?” Megatron holds the limp Spike up as a warning not to test him. He spat orders out. “I want both your Mini-Con’s, human!”

Veren was concerned. She had an insane Decepticon right in front of her holding a friend’s life in his hand and a mentally disturbed Mini-Con beside her. If she didn’t do something, Sonic Boom in blind fury was going to attack and Megatron in rage would crush Spike. I never had to make decision like this for Auto-Deception, she reflected.

“Gnaarrrr!”

“No Sonic Boom!” Veren brought the blade down through his hip.

“ARK!” His head lifts up, his mouth agape baring few fangs, he stalled in paralysis unable to move. His hip sparkled electrically.

She lowered her head away from the silent Megatron, she didn’t know what he was thinking, didn’t want to see. “Sorry,” she murmured. She pulled her blade from Sonic Boom’s hip generating an ear-wrenching screech of hard, dense, ancient, metal.

To her surprise, Sonic Boom did not fall. Instead, he slacked aside pained by the wound and whimpered putting his snout beside the helmet. He was sorry.

Veren grasped his head in her hands dropping the blade. “Enlighten me.”

* * *
“What is that?” a confused voice asks.
* * *

“This is all very irrelevant to the entire course of the day, but if I don’t receive any Mini-Con soon, your friend dies!”

“Alright, a Mini-Con, we get it! Go fetch!” Veren throws the plate like a frizz-bee between Megatron’s feet.

“Huh?“ He jerks to locate it one connection short of the process.

“Megatron, watch out!” Skywarp warned.

He turns back too late. “AH!” Sonic Boom smashes into his finger cracking the servos causing his fingers to snap open.

“Graww!” Sonic Boom flies up as Spike falls into his arms. He spreads his shoulder blade wings and soars high. The sun glints off his hide as he circles.

“Blast! After him Skywarp!”

“Yes sir!” The jet rockets off at a ninety-degree angle and fires as Sonic Boom banks for a course out of his range.

Megatron looks around. “Now where did he go?” He remembered the Mini-Con and turns around. “Ah ha!” He turns stomping after Veren.

She jumps on the Mini-Con plate, skidding across the ground and grabs the side lifting it up, she didn’t calculate the landing and when her feet touch the ground she rolls backwards hitting the helmet’s skull to the surface. When she slides to a stop, she can only stare at the Mini-Con plate at her nose. It’s within reach, but she can’t decide whether to take it or not.

“That belongs to me.” Megatron chimes as he saunters up, he reaches to clam another to his long sought desire.

Veren throws herself over the plate covering it with her body. “No it doesn’t!”

Megatron picks her by the back of her shirt and suspends her before his face grinning. “The Mini-Con, overly valiant one.”

She raised an arm. “Cue the Autobot!” With the blade she slices the back of her shirt from Megatron’s fingers.

“Huh?” Megatron glowers on as Sonic Boom ascends to the sky—Skywarp smashes right into him! To his delight both topple over midair to fall. It had to be the greatest crash he had ever seen a Decepticon commit to, but to his dismay the resilient Mini-Con continues on his flight as Skywarp spirals downward. “By the inferno.” Megatron further cursed his misfortunate as he took to the task of tracking the raptor.

“Hur, hur, hur…” Sonic Boom turns his head away to keep his eye on flying, he carried Spike by the arms banking.

Veren points barking an annoying laugh. “Ah ha, ha! Idiots!” She turns her attention to the Mini-Con plate when it flares. “Umm, Sonic Boom?” She calls.

“Eh?”

“Can you fly with three passengers?”

“Nay.”

“Didn’t think so.” She covers the plate with her arm. “Emergency landing, now!”

“Arrrww!” He rolls to descend.

“You made a fool of me for the last time, Mini-Con!” Skywarp in jet mode ascends on their tail after gaining control of his crash. He ignites lasers from under each wing.

“Shoot!” She pressed down so her head is lower than the curve on Sonic Boom’s back. The curve opens and the gun slides out, it rotates to aim resting on Veren’s forehead and fires at Skywarp red lasers. “Watch it with that!” She knocks the gun back.

“Que?”

“Mini-Con.” She calls as the form appears over the plate. “I hope you can recalibrate with an extra passenger.”

“Hrmm?” He glances back. “Ur or.”

A small, white, Mini-Con lands on the back of his wounded hip, it makes a quiet confused beep.

“RAAWWWWRR!” Sonic Boom cries as he banks unintentionally, he gnashes his teeth bearing with the pain and tries though failing to descend slowly for the ground, but finds himself falling much faster than he should.

The Mini-Con sees Sonic Boom and immediately panics.

Veren grabs him around the chest and forces her helmet into his. “Settle down. Can’t you see my friend is trying to land?”

“Aba guto!” Sonic Boom didn’t see the ground coming, his legs drag across the rocky surface as he comes down. He put his knees forward to land and leans back to protect Spike, he was able to keep himself steady without throwing his passengers off. When he does cease moving, he lays Spike down and turns himself to lie down beside him.

Right when the he was in contact with the surface the white Mini-Con jumps off Sonic Boom’s back as Veren steps away, he dashes away and turns pointing beeping in alarmed tones. He had an urgent message about Sonic Boom.

“Wait, wait, what are you saying?” Veren lifts her foot a bit, it was still pumping from the encounter with Demolishor.

He keeps dial-toning his message unable to speak anything but that since his creation. His bright white armor blinded her, his blue eyes looked terrified upon Sonic Boom. He turns changing his form into a white Porsche with a raised rear fin and sped off across the desert at his highest speed.

“Hey wait!” Veren looks up as the cry of jet engines roared. Skywarp soared over her head to get the Mini-Con. “Idiot!” She takes off after the car, but halts remembering Sonic Boom’s injury. She turns back hesitant to what she should do next. She bounces in place looking from Sonic Boom to the Mini-Con racing. “Oh, I can’t leave you two wounded, but the Mini-Con!” She looks back and forth.

There’s no one to answer her questions and no one to guide her. If she leaves the two unprotected, Spike could be killed and she could loose her loyal friend. If she doesn’t, all the work she put to find the Mini-Con would be for nothing. She had made a promise when she first awakened Sonic Boom, before then. Would she be forced to break it now? “Prime, where are you when you’re needed?”

15
Optimus Prime had his own problems. He was currently in a fight with Starscream, and the Decepticon had enhanced his blade to a higher potent force. “Where’s your master, Megatron?” he growls.

Starscream pauses to answer. “Possibly labeling the destruction of your human friends. One was captured.”

“What?” He cries.

Hound throws Offbeat into a small chasm to keep him out of the way for a short time. “Optimus, I think we better regroup! I’m havin’ one of those bad feelings!”

“Not until we get rid of this junk! If they’re in trouble, we don’t want to lead anymore trouble to them!”

“Right on!”

Optimus ducks a swing from Starscream’s sword and clips him hard in the stomach taking him back a few paces before dropping him. Starscream utters a disgusting groan as he falls to his side releasing his blade. He quivers holding his sparking paunch. “Hound?” He calls turning from the sobbing Decepticon.

“One moment, please!” He has Offbeat by the arm orbiting his body while he spins on one heel. “Ring around the rosy, pockets full of posy, ashes, ashes, we all fall down!” He leaps up pulling Offbeat under him and raises him above head at the peak of his leap, he slams into the ground with the smaller Decepticon breaking beneath his knees.

“AWK—” His optics fade after his back is cracked wide.

Hound turns to Optimus when he fished this act, he didn’t feel anywhere near dizzy though a few seconds ago he was a blur. His superb equilibrium dealt with that keeping him on balance all the time. “Prime?” He was breathless though.

“Let’s go then.” At his command both become their respective vehicle, the two drive off in the direction Blaster had headed before.

-- -- --

Veren turns running away after witnessing Skywarp descending buzzing the small car. She calls over her shoulder assuring her Mini-Con. “I’ll be back!”

Sonic Boom let his chin rest on the soil as he watched her run away. He groaned worried but listened to her commands.

She kept running as the white car swerved from Skywarp’s buzz. She waved her hands calling to it. “Mini-Con, over here! Come here!” She halts

The Porsche car turned and took a course wide around Veren. Skywarp followed rising and falling in the air, he was leading the Mini-Con.

She jumped up and down. “Over here you damn idiot!”

Finally the Mini-Con turns, right side lifted as he drifts. It seemed he did register her.

“Good.” She muttered as she started running for the car. She halted when she spotted Skywarp careening from the sky, he spun over as he transformed and plowed into the ground mid-configuration right on top of the Mini-Con. A loud PLOP sounded as dust went skyward. She ran as fast as she could on a bad heel to see what had happened.

Skywarp chuckled as he rose, his body making the last twists and connections as he stood in his robotic form. “… finally.” He held the unconscious android in one hand as he sat up.

“My Mini-Con!” She hailed as she neared him.

“Does every Mini-Con you find belong to you?” He sneers.

“No!” Veren snarls. “No Mini-Con belongs to another! They are their own just as we are our own. Now hand him over or you’ll regret living!” She was bluffing. It didn’t work.

Skywarp let out a good laugh. The fact that a human had just threatened him tickled all through his systems. “You?”

“Mine!” Veren took a step forward.

“Wait right there.” As he speaks, he alters the unconscious robot into his car form.

Veren glares full of anger, anger that has no way to go. What would she do to stop Skywarp? Her blade? She eyed it. Maybe.

Skywarp turns his back to where a powerlinx port was located on his frame. “You’ll be the first to feel my power, mortal!”

“You’re using that Mini-Con!” Veren takes her blade and flung it at the Decepticons backside. She hoped to stun him, what she managed was more surprising. The blade spun on its side tearing through a good chunk of his armor with the powerlinx system lines.

“ARGH!” He cries dropping the robot, he gropes his backside in pain as it shimmered with embers. “Bastard!”

She dives forward taking the Mini-Con by the shoulders and drags him away from Skywarp’s feet. She turns her attention to the blade as it whirls down at her. She reaches up catching it from the air but winces when it digs deep into her palm. She attaches it to her belt and continues to pull the Mini-Con away. She slips his arm over her shoulder and forces herself to stand. Even with a bad foot she managed to carry him with her despite his size and evident weight.

Skywarp turns to her grinding his teeth behind his face guard. “You have some nerve.”

Veren feels she should answer though she is trying to escape. “No, you did.” She spat.

“That’s it!” He lifts his foot to crush her. “Bug!”

She stutters. “Aw—shit!”

Skywarp screeched in fury when he lost his balance and fell from his supporting foot, he raised his fists for his head where Sonic Boom screamed and bites the bridge of his nose. He snarled in ferocious contempt, shoulder blade-wings tremble expressing his agitation.

“AH! Get it off! Get—OFF!” He rips Sonic Boom free and throws him to the hard rock beyond Veren.

“You did a good try, Sonic Boom.”

“Murrhh…” He groans, optics dim.

Megatron caught up, his side sparked from where a blade on Skywarp impaled him. “Skywarp, I want that Mini-Con and human alive.” He grumbles.

“Yes sire.” He struck his chest in a respectful manner as he stood.

This is what fills Veren with fear, not for her own but for what would become of Spike if no one were there to protect him in his vulnerable state. She was sure Demolishor or Cyclonus would still be lurking near someplace.

Megatron lifts his head in the glaze on the sunlight. “And it appears we have a hero.”

Hound accelerates when he catches sight of Veren, Sonic Boom, and the new Mini-Con lying wounded in front of two Decepticons at their mercy. On the green jeeps hood was a small rifle that turns and spits lasers pelting Skywarp, while his course remained straight for Megatron.

The purple and black Decepticon winced backing away from the fire. “Shall I destroy him?”

“Go ahead, I will claim what is mine.” He reached over for Veren. Not to his surprise Sonic Boom slithers over gripping her by the collar and the Mini-Con by the arm, he works dragging the two away despite his own wounds. “Hold still you little brute—” He nearly performs a complete cartwheel when a loud clang sounds followed by his body rolling across the rocky ground, he comes to a rest on his side with one arm stuck in the air and a leg pinned under his chest.

Optimus puts his elephantine form between the small group of mice and the cobra. “That’s it Megatron, you’ve lost!”

Megatron struggles to unfold his body and stands strong with power. “Only time will tell, Optimus Prime. Decepticon’s withdraw.” He disappears chuckling slyly.

“No!” Prime would have leapt for him, but did not want to leave the survivors to his wraith. He waited until Skywarp had vanished as well, then turns to Veren. “Are you alright?”

“Do we look alright?”

Sonic Boom’s face holds the slight hint of embarrassment.

Prime notes the white Mini-Con and asks. “Did Blaster find you?”

“No. Megatron got a hold of him. I don’t know where he is.” She stands. “Cliffjumper and—” She turns to her Mini-Con in anxiousness. “Boom, where is Spike?”

“Hura. Beg portanna gush gardiss quager mor.” He twists pointing in the direction he made the emergency landing.

Veren gasps when she sees a buzzard planted next to Spike. “Sick’em!”

“Rawwr!” At these words—regardless of his wounds—the Mini-Con leaps to his feet and jets off on two thrusters imbedded in lower legs. He snarls gliding a high speed, when he nears the buzzard it opens it’s wings and soars high. Sonic Boom plants himself on the ground beside Spike barking at the hovering scavenger.

Veren sighs a little relieved. “Good guy.”

Hound walks over to Optimus with Quail following his steps. “Is she okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Veren snaps.

“Just asking.” He defends.

“Hound, transform to carry the Mini-Con.” Optimus began in Spike’s direction concerned by his condition. Spike had been wounded before in battle and even before he was a listed warrior. It was just that whenever Prime saw any of the human warriors in an unconscious state no matter how many scans he performed he’d rather see the individual up close with his optics to set himself to ease.

“Yes sir.” He collapses into a jeep with the tarp absent. “Load him up, Quail.”

The small blue Mini-Con hops over taking up the white Mini-Con and hauls him over lying him in the back seat. He then hops in himself to perch high.

Optimus reconfigures his own body mid step into the big rig that he always is and always would be. “Get in Veren, we’re going to pick up Spike and then go for the others.”

She hops onto the moving vehicle leaning off with a hand grasping one of the mirrors. “I’ll ride this way.”

Sonic Boom had loyally protected Spike from the circling vulture who was currently joined by two more. “Rawwr!” He hisses at them. He glances over when Optimus and Hound drive up, he sits down pretending to be good.

“Check on him, Veren.”

She hops off Prime stumbling from the moving to stationary terrain but made it to Spike without tumbling. Prime halts after a few turns to the wheel with motor idling waiting for the news good or bad. She jogs over to Spike leaning over him. “Is he still alive?”

“Ecka.” Sonic Boom tilts his head.

She carefully removes his helmet and checks his face. The blood originated from his nose smeared on his upper lip and forehead, black. She checks his pulse. “Very weak.”

“Eh.”

"Hound, take Sonic Boom back to Ocean city with the Mini-Con and Spike, assure those on standby matters are under control. Veren, I need you to remain with me.”

“Nurr?”

"Wait, why can't I go with Hound?" She checked on the wounded Spike worried by his shallow breathing.

“I need you to find the other Autobots, got it?”

“I guess….”

“Sonic Boom, can I trust you with Spike?”

“Eh.” He chirps happily. He leans over carefully cradling the human in his arms and leaps onto Hound’s side. Poor Quail pressed himself into the door as far as he could, it caused Hound to wince in his frame. Sonic Boom lays Spike on the front seat to the horror of Quail, but to his the relief the larger Mini-Con nestles in the back seat beside the white Mini-Con, unconscious and unaware of this danger. Quail pulled the other Mini-Con further from Sonic Boom without leaning to close.

“I’ll see you back at Ocean city, Prime.” Hound shifts his gears and turns. He drives to a shimmering glint of road appearing at his front wheels into an invisible force and disappears from sight.

Take care of him, Hound. Optimus thought.

Veren takes a breath. At least Spike would be all right. She turns to Prime. “Excuse me, but why didn’t you send me with Spike and keep Sonic Boom with you? If you’re attacked, he would be your best chance.” She hops onto the side of his door as he changed gears.

“Because I can understand you, and oddly enough, I feel better with that Mini-Con supervising Spike.”

“Go this way.” She motions the way to the pillar. “Why is that strange?”

Optimus gives a heavy sigh. He didn’t know how to explain it. It was a feeling of warning from within, something he knew he should be wary of by his instincts that he had learned to trust. But this Mini-Con was so much like the human. He followed her everywhere, played and joked with her. He protected her, he protected others. If such good was coming from something that could possibly be a threat, why hadn’t he taken a chance to destroy the Autobot’s, or at least the center intelligence computers within the city? He had many-many opportunities but never took them. He puzzled over the enigma when it became most confusing, it was like a void with three doors, each leading to the same room, then back to the three doors.

“Is this about the Mini-Cons?”

He was silent. This was true, too. The Mini-Con’s could sense it, they probably even knew why Prime felt such fears of the vicious Mini-Con. But none had ever uttered it. They never even spoken about Sonic Boom, they acted as though he were not there, then if they saw him they avoided him altogether. The entire ordeal was giving Optimus a neuro ache.

Veren could already see Cliffjumper’s form lying in their path, his shoulder cooled since the conflict moved away but his armor had been scorched in his battle with two enemy units. “The Mini-Con’s are afraid of Sonic Boom, I not only can see it I can feel it. They hate him.”

“I don’t think they hate him.” He considers a careful choice of words. “I think they have never seen a Mini-Con like him before, so they act with fear and caution towards him. He is one menacing looking creature, and the way he behaves towards Decepticons. I imagine if I were smaller than him I would be frightened too.”

“I’m not stupid you know.”

This statement dumbfounded Optimus, he was at a loss of words.

“I can see the way those Mini-Cons look at him. That’s not a misunderstanding look. That’s a look of terror.” She was silent now, afraid to go on with her own words. She felt certain she had revived some demon from the other world. Then Veren remembered the way Sonic Boom reacted when the Decepticons kidnapped the school children. This put herself at ease.

Optimus wanted to ask if it was truly what she meant, that she felt Sonic Boom had done something so terrible in his past no future deeds could commend it. He was marked. But to her silence he decided to keep his words. There would be plenty of time later to question this theory. He rolled up beside Cliffjumper. When Veren hops off he adjusts his form from transport to robot. He leans over the damaged Autobot examining the wound to his chest. He noted how quiet Veren became.

From his belt Optimus took a small tool that looked like a make shift beer bottle opener. It could be folded and changed. He used it to do repair work on Cliffjumper’s chest, the more crucial of his wounds, the shoulder would have to wait for extensive work. To his relief the most damage that had been done was a severed command cable, this transferred messages to and from his ‘brain’. Without it Cliffjumper was a normal car, or in this case a large metal carcass rotting in the noonday sun.

Veren watched through the eyes of her helmet fascinated. The incredible mechanical ingenuity Prime held, it was a second hand job to fighting. As far as Veren knew, she had screwed up big time and didn’t feel at all proud of herself for it. Sure, she had a laugh here and there. But seeing Spike hurt after he had helped her made her angry with herself. She slowly shook her head and sank deeper into herself lowering her head, trying to grasp the day as it had been and where it ended.

* * *
“You can’t handle the truth!”
* * *

She looked up a little stunned at the shrill voice. Realizing she was just imagining it, she sank back. But she recognized that voice, and the nature of it very well in fact. It could have come from her brother for all she knew but she would never hear him speak it with his own lips.

Optimus looked up at her. She didn’t notice his gaze. He wondered what she was reasoning with.

“P-Prrrrime…?”

His attention was drawn to the wounded Autobot he had successfully reactivated. “Cliffjumper? Are you feeling a little better?”

“Just a little.” He sat up as Optimus backed away. “What happened?” He gazed at his surroundings bemused. “Did they get the Mini-Con?”

“No they didn’t.” Veren stood up. “He’s already at Ocean city with Spike….” She sighs shaking her head.

“Is Spike hurt?”

“Yes.” He turns to Optimus. “Don’t worry, they’ll take care of him there.” He spoke to Cliffjumper but he felt he was reassuring Veren that everything was going to be all right.

“Well…..” Cliffjumper stands. “I’m picking up this distress beacon from a Mini-Con, or three, however you wanna look at it.”

“Can you locate it?”

He begins walking the opposite way they came. “Yep, this way.” He becomes his stylish Mustang GT and drives on. Optimus Prime follows him in step, changing his gears when the two travel into the softer sand beyond the pillar.

Veren hops onto Cliffjumper’s hood and laid back as he drives on. “Don’t mind me.” She can see a large rock face in the distance. The ground was burnt and scorched, a tree was on fire still burning into the ground, it used to be a green tree but now it was transforming into a black smear. She imagined there must have been more to the cliff than what was left, a mile long spread, much of it was now black rock or melted rock. The greater of the battle must have taken place there, she was glad of that or they may have never unearthed the plate.

She sat up suddenly to hop off Cliffjumper’s hood stumbling but gains balance and darts off.

“Where are you going?” He calls as he screeched through the sand.

She ignores him and runs over to a wash out where flood-river sucked loose soil from under a rock leaving the space. She leans down looking in.

Three pairs of white eyes stare back at her, a quiet beep sounds.

“Did you find them?” Optimus calls.

She ignores him, instead directs her attention to the Mini-Con’s. “Hey, you guys okay?”

Veren extends a friendly hand. “Come on, we have to find Blaster.” High Wire takes her hand. She pulls him from under the rock and proceeds to help Sureshock and Grindor.

Optimus walked over. “So you did find them.”

“What did you think I was doing?”

“Well, you didn’t answer.” He sighs. Maybe separating Veren from Sonic Boom would have been the better idea, in the least it might have gathered there cooperation.

Cliffjumper follows Prime. “Do any of you know where Blaster is?”

“We do,” Sureshock and Grindor speak at once. The two run off to find their way to where their comrade had fallen.

Veren was about to follow, but she felt High Wire’s eyes on her back. She turns to him.

He brings his head back uttering a ‘dial’ beeping sound.

She thinks before asking. “Why are you afraid of Sonic Boom?”

“Sonic Boom?”

“You and the other Mini-Con’s are afraid of my buddy. Why?”

“Hmm…” He deliberates on the question as if he didn’t even know why. He then directs to her. “Do you trust him?”

“Huh?” I hate it when they answer with a question. She sighs, “Of course I trust him.”

“Would you trust him… with your life?”

“Wait, what? I mean, yeah, sure. He’s my friend.”

High Wire further toiled on this new data, lowering his head slightly as though some wrong had been done. He turns back to Veren with new advice. “Sonic Boom, as you know him, does not remember.”

“Remember? Remember what?”

“You will find out.” The slim robot turns moving awkwardly after the others as they set out to locate the sound specialist.

Veren was disturbed. My life? His memory? Just what was going on? She could not comprehend just what the Mini-Con’s were leading towards. What were they hiding? What has Sonic Boom forgotten? All Veren could recall was the first time she came across his Mini-Con plate, when all the chaos had begun. If she were given a chance to go back and stop herself, stop everything about to transpire from here on out would she do it?

Uhm, yeah. For anyone that is reading this it's obvious that Veren has a few screws loose and is hyper aggressive. The reason that is, is due to her bonding to Sonic Boom. The 'sharing' of personalities is a side effect of the process causing Veren to behave more like Sonic Boom and he in turn he begins acting more like...I don't know, certainly not human. *scratches head*

Optimus Prime and the other characters, even some Decepticons, probably know more than they are letting on but the information has been restricted. Why no one remembers Sonic Boom aside from Megatron is due to old events that transpired that place ancient threats such as this in categories that many would rather forget. Megatron just rather not forget those that he would have allied to him or those that he might want to destroy.

16
“That human!” Megatron bellowed firing all three cannons at a wall blowing it into submission.

“Uh oh!” Wail Cyclonus, Demolishor, Offbeat, and Skywarp. The four leap up and run to hide behind another barrier.

“I will tear him limb from limb! I will annihilate him!” He snarls cracking his fists together and grinding the motors in his knuckles to the point they would shatter. “I will crush his bones into dust with my bare hands!”

Leader-one leans into the room looking around. He lowers himself shuddering as Megatron stomps by. A few other Mini-Cons stood behind him listening, the braver ones of the nest.

“I hate humans!” He kicks a wall knocking it over, masonry and dust rise in thick puffs from the demolition.

Offbeat tries to escape but the others reach over grabbing him and drag him back. The wall he was running for was incinerated.

Skywarp peeks around the corner of the wall he hides behind. “Megatron isn’t happy.”

“He’s unhappy? What about us? That Mini-Con put my eye out!” Cyclonus wore an eye patch to protect the delicate lens before his eye fully healed.

“You guys are wimps.”

“Shut up, Offbeat!” They hiss.

“Hmm?” Megatron turns around and seems to finally notice them. The four of them duck down. Megatron saunters over to the wall they hide behind. “Well, what have we here?” He shatters the wall with his Quad Cannon. “Ah, eavesdroppers!”

Cyclonus flails his arms. “No Megatron! We were just in the area—” The Decepticon leader seizes his warrior by the throat.
Skywarp’s the only one doing something intelligent, he covers his head as though a bomb went off with his face to the ground.

“Megatron, we know you’re mad but, can you try and calm down?” Demolishor knew he was being stupid, but he didn’t know what else to do. Megatron picked him up by the damaged shoulder. “OW! OHHHH!”

“Calm down, eh? I know one way to calm down! I kill something!”

Offbeat tried to sneak away by crawling across the ground. Megatron plant a foot upon his torn backside crushing him to the limestone.

“Would one of you like to volunteer? Hmm? We are in a sacrificial chamber!”

He stands at the doorway to the sacrificial chamber. He holds up a small silver metal box in his hands. “Package for Demolishor.”

“Oh? Me?”

Megatron drops him. “Just what have you been up to?”

“I guess we’ll find out!” He wobbles over to Starscream. “Gee, I didn’t know you cared! Thanks for not going through my mail.”

A smirk grows on his faceplate. “Normally I would, but there’s no telling what that psycho would send you and I didn’t want to meet an explosion head on.”

“Grrr…slaggen…” He mumbles.

“Bring it here Demolishor.”

“Huh?” He turns to Megatron. “Uh, you sure?”

Megatron looks very tedium on Demolishor. “Open it.” He commands releasing Cyclonus to drop with a crash.

“Eeh, okay.” He grips the lid and slips it open. He reaches inside and produces a small disk gently held between his thumb and fore claw.

“What is that?”

“Look’s like a datum.” He admitted. “I’ve been keeping tabs on the Autobots with a new ally. You knew him once, Buzzsaw?”

Megatron smirks. “I never forget a loyal ally.” He frowns. “But tell me, how did you come to employ him to you and not I? That can be very dangerous.”

“I… wanted it to be a surprise, for you.” He kneels. “For my glorious leader.” He held the disk up.

Megatron takes the disk responding. “Is that where Starscream received his upgrade?”

The vice-commander smirks. “Demolishor couldn’t reconvert the metals from that of a normal Mini-Con’s armor and format the weapon, what makes you believe Buzzsaw could handle the intricacy of that Sonic Boom?”

Megatron glowers at Starscream. “Since you are so confident in your own abilities, Starscream, contact Nash and share your findings with him.” His glare converts into an amused smile. “Have his scientists converge the technology to forge me a new ax stronger than your blade. It is my will, now abide by my command, grunt!”

His eyes blaze a deep red matching his leaders almost but the tint dies back to his usual orange. “Yes sir.” He turns leaving. He would have no choice but to contact the illegal arms factory and give out the private data he had painstakingly acquired on his own time, like nothing, and for a human no less. He had considered building a replicate axe anyway, at least until after Megatron became smug with his improved version. He could find a way to repel it from his grasp and have him when he would be vulnerable. He smiled at this thought as he left the sacrificial chamber.

“Demolishor.”

“Hail Megatron?” He kneels before his leader.

Megatron taps the disk against the subordinate’s skull. “Review this as previously planned. Give me all the details with explicit description.” His eyes blaze as hot coals.

-- -- --

The Autobot’s found Blaster a mess. His left arm had been severed at the shoulder, a deep slice had been put into his chest, wires hung from his gut, his knee had very nearly been severed—repair work had been immediate upon Red Alert’s arrival. Even while transported to Mountain city, a combination of a life support and energon bath was used to get his body repaired, but mentally the Autobot’s would have to wait and see.

Spike had looked worse than he was, as humans went. He suffered a slight concussion, which explained the blood from his nose, and two broken ribs. He was put into the hospital of Ocean city, not in the remote critical state Blaster had been in but he was constantly monitored by a nurse. Head trauma could turn fatal even if vital sighs appeared normal and recovery in progress, until he awoke his life was on the line.

He was in the first bed of a row of ten, a heart monitor sat by his right labeling his pulse rate, on the same side was an IV bag giving him fluid and morpheme.

In the doorway of the infirmary stood Veren watching Spike glumly, for once she did not wear the helmet, that rested under her left arm. Behind her stood her loyal friend Sonic Boom. She wasn’t wondering about her Mini-Con, she was concerned with Spike’s health, but to be more precise the error she had made in following the Autobot’s. She didn’t know how long she had been standing there, as long as she could remember since the morning. She gave heavy sigh.

“Maroo.” Sonic Boom placed his chin on her shoulder in his universal expression of affection and sorrow. Both his friends felt sick.

She rubbed the brim of his snout. “It’ll be okay, buddy.”

He opened his jaws. “Baaa….”

“Did he just bleat?” Optimus asked when approaching, he was trying to strike humor. Quit frankly, Veren wondered if Sonic Boom had bleated too.

“I’m sorry Prime, this is all my fault. If I hadn’t have followed you, Spike wouldn’t be in the condition he’s in now. He could have been—” She stuck the helmet on her head and turned the face down. Why did she want to join the Autobots to combat the Decepticons like this? She didn’t have that same yearning to seek them out now wherever they may be on the globe and take the lot on, even with Sonic Boom by her. But supposing at the given state she was not in the mood for combat while Spike lay ill due to her own meddling.

“Baaa…”

“Veren, would you please come with me?”

She turns to follow after Optimus but stole one more glance at Spike before leaving the doorway. She followed him down the hall wondering in all-the world what he wanted her for. Sonic Boom was following her as well. The combination of light clamps and heavy clods went down the hall surrounding her. She remained silent. It was a short walk from the medical room to one of the communication chambers with a large computer screen, not with the access the main central room had but in contact nonetheless. He accessed the main screen, went in under some file…Veren didn’t care to look.

Optimus turned to her as he pressed a button. “Watch the screen.”

The screen became alive with the picture of someone’s point of view, but not a typical recording from a simple camera. He was near the ground watching the landscape from a high rising cliff surveying the area slowly, assorted numbers and figures filed through the alien view in a conflicting mash of information no human mind could hope to grasp in even the faintest code. The working sight jiggles when it spots Sonic Boom racing across the desert in motorcycle mode, Megatron rolling after him igniting plasma after laceration. The camera zooms in on the sight of the two.

“This is Sparkplug’s retina lift, he was performing the recon during our rescue mission. I only downloaded these images this morning.”

“Why?”

“That’s when his repairs were completed. Now watch.”

Veren did as she was told. She watched with relief as Sonic Boom spread his blade wings and took off for the sky soaring high.

Sparkplug watched him zooming out to get a better view of the Mini-Con overlapping numerous filaments and information, until the target went beyond conception, then turned his view back to Megatron and zoomed in furthering the information collision. The Decepticon transformed yelling something profane and fired at a vertical angle up at Sonic Boom. Seeming satisfied the Decepticon turns returning in the direction he had come.

The image changed like memory swaps and Sparkplug had changed postures to record a fight between Blaster, Spike, and Preceptor, against Starscream. Starscream damaged Preceptor in a way that he had no choice but to disengage to escape. Spike must have told the Mini-Con’s to make a run for it, because they dove off view. The human leapt up kicking Starscream in the knee causing him to stutter, Blaster came in next knocking the stunned Decepticon over with a well placed fist to cranium. Sparkplug jitters with surprise when he zoomed in on Megatron sneaking up behind Blaster, numerous codes swamped the visual, including some silent warning beacons. The Autobot reeled around grabbing Megatron’s wrists, but the Decepticon tore through his arm off with a single shot.

“What are you showing me, beside how bad I screwed up?”

“Quiet and watch.”

She sighed crossing her arms.

Spike took on Megatron trying to lead him away from the injured Autobot. It worked, but Starscream came upon him. He sliced Blaster across his multicolored plated chest and threw him down.

Sonic Boom rumbled his hate for Starscream.

The Decepticon stabbed Blaster in the gut, then raised the sword to an angle lifting another arm up. This stance indicated he wanted to slice something off. Before he could move, Sonic Boom leapt out. He shot Starscream in the chest and plowed into his shoulder knocking him aside. Sparkplug followed Sonic Boom’s movement as he charged Megatron. He leapt high opening his maw to snap onto Megatron’s demonic horn. He wailed out thrashing and cussing. He tore Sonic Boom off and threw him to the ground. Sonic Boom raised his snout snarling as Spike joined him. Spike turns and runs while Sonic Boom holds Megatron off with red laser fire. Megatron shields his face but notices Sparkplug watching, even from this distance. He turns a pistol on him and fires.

Static.

Optimus exits the screen and turns to Veren. He waits for a response.

“Can I go now?”

“You are dull by your belief of what you did do was wrong, yes.” He said. “However, there is a time when someone is right and another is wrong.”

He gives a deep gargle as he turns leaving through the door. When he is gone, Optimus turns to Veren:

“Sometimes leaders make mistakes, I just did. But you also made a mistake, you disobeyed my orders. That was dangerous. What I’m saying is, if it wasn’t for your judgment, Blaster and Spike might not be here right now.”

“But…you’re Optimus Prime, Autobot leader and champion of Cybertron. You don’t make mistakes.”

He shakes his head to this. “I wish for Primus that was true but it isn’t. I’m a person too, I am entitled to make mistakes, that is why I endeavor through ever conflict with the Decepticons to analyze and calculate every possible mean to reducing conflict. Soldiers are injured, my friends are injured, could be killed, as you just saw.”

The statement relieved Veren but further pressed the material. “I thought Sonic Boom lead Megatron to them.” She looked to the screen.

“No, he didn’t. He tried to lead Megatron away. It didn’t work, Starscream ambushed them and sent a call out to Megatron. However, if you two didn’t follow us the Decepticon’s would have taken us off guard. The two of you work well as a distraction to lead Megatron from his established commission, when he’s lost focus on his goal his fellow Decepticons are unable to function.

It has always been a highlight of the Autobots advantage over the Decepticons, our cooperation and teamwork has always overwhelmed their staggering odds. Your and Sonic Boom’s presence on the field was enough at the time and I thank you for that, it is why I haven’t lectured you…yet. But please, I do not want you two acting as bait for the Decepticons. Leave the fighting to us.”

Veren was silent. She clinched the soft gauze covering her palms. “I know. But Sonic Boom yearns to fight and I can’t hold him back, I know you may be more willing to allow his participation to your team but it’s as you said, cooperation and teamwork. He’s useless without me.”

Optimus sighed hopelessly. “You humans.”

“Robots.” She turns walking from the room. “Hope Sparkplug is feeling better.”
“Hmm?”

She steps into the hall looking around for Sonic Boom. He was not in sight. She moaned. Though she didn’t feel better, her soul did. She was at ease with herself. She bows as Sonic Boom sails over her head. “Hello.”

“Ar!” He hits the floor sliding to his side. He jumps back up. “Rawwr!”

“What’s with you?”

“Grrr….” He leaps at her.

She dodges sidestepping, then smacks him across the snout with the helmet. “Knock it off.”

“Arrr….” He weeps in his hands.

“How’s your hip?” She slips the helmet back on.

He looks at her seeming to smile. “Oar packa tilaqua porat!”

“I’m glad to hear that.” She pivots walking away. “Come on.”

“Hrmm.” He stands up and follows her.

She walks a while in silence before she turns looking over at him. “Sonic Boom, can I see you palms?”

“Yes. Get me into everything.” She motions the area. “I wanna fight with that blade skillful enough that it won’t kill me, I want to know about the mechanics of a Transformer so I can hit to put down, also if needed to repair one. Show me everything I need!” She grips the gauze around her palm, a motion that meant she’d take it all and some more.

“Yes.” She grabs his shoulder blade at the tip and leads him behind her. Sonic Boom gives a cry as he has to stumble backwards as she drags him away. “We’ll start with normal training, then you show me how to wield that blade, once I master that weapon, I can begin understanding better ways to fight.”

“Agoo muarv damma tuk tuk?” He remembers he still has the bracelet around his ankle.

“Yes, I’m sure!” She leads him out a door.

-- -- --

Red Alert stood in a hall watching the white Mini-Con mop. This veteran Autobot had served in wars since before the Mini-Con’s, and he knew a thing or two about fighting. However, now he was appointed a full time doctor, unless there was a lack of able soldiers, he wasn’t required to engage in combat. He could aid humans just as well as a downed Autobot or Decepticon. He had maintained his emergency vehicle uniform, but added a trailer to it for Transformer’s or humans. He watches the Mini-Con with slight interest while leaning his shoulder to a wall, he hadn’t been noticed or was being ignored.

He spots Ratchet when he nears. “Hold on there, Autobot.” He continues when Ratchet stops and gives him his attention. “You’re a soldier that has seen a few battles? Right?”

“Last I knew, yeah. What’s on your mind?” He crosses his arms over his white chasse.

“See that Mini-Con yonder?” He motions the white robot with the blue optics.

Ratchet turns and studies him as he mops. “Yep, he’s an android. Been moping the base.” He gives a rough chuckle. “He’s been doing it since he found that mop and bucket, cute isn’t it? I like him.”

“Want him as a partner?” Red Alert lowers his head slyly desiring the answer he predicted.

Ratchet rubbed his polished helmet, “Well, I dunno. I’m not much for partnering with Mini-Con’s, haven’t done it yet as I’m an Hour Glass. Why?”

“Do you recognize that Mini-Con?”

“Hmm….” Ratchet studies him long and hard.

The Mini-Con worked heedless of the two Autobot’s speaking of him by the wall. He was not a normally a neat Mini-Con, he didn’t care for a mess here or there but he needed something to do, something to get his mind off his problems. He assumed no one would bother him while cleaning the base, at least unless he was in some body’s way. He tried to avoid that.

Ratchet snaps his fingers. “Now I know where I’ve seen’em. He’s that one Mini-Con, what’s his name? Smite?”

“Strike.”

“Strike, there we go! How could I forget Strike?”

“Does Sparkplug know yet?”

“Wow, a family reunion. That outta be spark wrenching.”

“He used to be partner’s with that one Decepticon. I mean, before there were the sub factions of the ‘Bots and ‘Cons, and Mini-Cons and Omnicons and Terrorcons.”

“Yeah—” Ratchet quieted for a second. “Oh yeah. I almost forgot.” He kept silent.

Red Alert pat him on the shoulder. “Let’s keep this between you and I.” He walked off down the hall.

Ratchet glances over at Strike. I wonder if he remembers.

-- -- --

Outside near the bridge to Ocean city, Sonic Boom held Veren’s hand as he gave her an example of how to throw and receive the hiltless Yataghan blade. It was crucial that the throw was just right or else the target would be missed, and another would be found, even if that target were an ally. Receiving the blade was as important as throwing. There was a skill to catching the blade on it’s smooth side with the fingertips. That was a difficult maneuver when the blade whirled in a blur. It had to be grasped before entering the fingers to halt the blade without slicing the hand off. There was a difference between catching the blade with the fingertips and palm. The fingertips were not as stable as the palm, but they did reduce injury. It was critical that she never hesitate when throwing or receiving the blade. Hesitating could mean someone not meant to be hit taking injury, or it could result in Veren missing half her hand.

Sonic Boom was a master at this weapon. He could wield it with excellent precision and accuracy and still reclaim it in beautiful style. To the human, it looked as though he were in complete tune with the weapon.

Through all the training she had managed to touch the blade on the safe flat sides but it continued to slip and slice her palm. Sonic Boom had given her two pieces of metal to slide under her bandages to reduce wounds inflicted. The most injury she suffered during the process of training was a gash across her shoulder. Sometimes she felt like giving up but Sonic Boom continuously encouraged her with taunts and mocking her.

She finally did capture the blade with no problem while it moved at its top speed. Sonic Boom had leaned into her and uttered ‘remember that feeling and the way it felt’. She kept practicing after that, trying to get the blade to spin faster and return quicker without further injury.

They turn to the road when a blue car came up the road, it turns and drives onto the bridge headed for the city. Veren glances at Sonic Boom. There was no driver. She jumps onto his back for a ride to the city but Sonic Boom shoves her off. He wanted her to jog.

Sonic Boom just chuckles and accelerates out of her reach. “Yar, yar, yar!”

-- -- --

Megatron suddenly found himself fascinated by a wall that was uncovered when he smashed down the first, during a fit of rage. What held his interest was the hieroglyphics patterned all over the wall. They were as fresh as the day they were made, smooth maintaining the sharp curves from the human that had first chiseled within the slab at the beginning of time. Within the underground temple where no sun, rain, or wind found them. They were just as preserved as the Mini-Con’s found upon Earth.

He ran his sharp steel fingers over the smooth, cold, rock feeling the curves. “Just like Cybertron.” He whispered. It felt good.

The pictures easily told Megatron what he read. In his neuron network went millions of translations, all he needed to do was look at the image or hear (listening doesn’t apply because half the things he hears he doesn’t consider, such as the needless destruction of life).

The images told him of the earliest time of these people, when they first forged their religion. They were bloodthirsty for each other seeking to please their gods with favor. They brought their people to these chambers to tear the still thrumming spark from the humans’ chest and give their blood to the gods.

This picture was shown with a pyramid construction expressing the moon and stars, no light. People lay under the stars on slab structures with their sparks torn from the bodies. Megatron translated the heart as a spark; after all he had his own precious spark.

Then a time of peace came. The Aztecs found a new god. He put an end to sacrifices, in turn he demonstrated to the Aztecs how to mine a precious mineral that gave life to everything it touched. It came from the soil and was purer than blood, not thick.

“Energon,” Megatron voiced. The picture shows their god was huge and plated in gold and shined like the sun that gave them life. Megatron smiled recognizing the history in compliance to the Cybertronians easily. “Omega Supreme.”

But then pictures show their god dead. The precious mineral was stolen. Many were blamed, many were killed. Pictures show monsters with claws that resembled jaguars, some flew like vultures, there were huge beetles darkening the sky, others ran about like biped lizards.

“Terrorcons.” He paused to take in the data collected thus far. “So, Omega Supreme showed these primitive humans how to build and work with energon. Then the Terrorcons came and did away with all of that.” He laughs. “I hadn’t realized they came this far back.” He returned to reading.

More and more pictures evince the terror of the Aztecs to the monsters of sun hides like their god, but they took life without need, they were demons. They stole life when there was no more energon, they tried to absorb it from other living beings. They were starving.

“Many moons and season passed as the Terrorcons attacked, wonder if this is why they died out?” He read on. “Hmm….” He pursed his lips into a thin line.

A picture reveals Terrorcons fleeing in terror, being killed or struck down as they moved. Shafts of power bolts rain down like stakes pulling Megatron into the image. He visualizes the Terrorcons running by him, snarling, yipping, cawing, crying, roaring—they were in a panic of a form they had not anticipated. One runs right through his leg and he doesn’t feel it. There’s a thunderstorm, more like some nightmare hurricane ready to tear this section of the world out into space. The sky is black from the clouds and indistinguishable if this is night or day, rain splatters his hide with bits of mud, granite, and butchered vegetation. The sky blazes that clashes like a neon monster falling upon the world.

Megatron can feel himself getting into the action, swallowed up with these pathetic monsters evacuating to find shelter or to hide, he’s tempted to lay some down but restrains himself for the sake of the perfect image of chaos, the elements put to the humans. But where are they all? So far, all he has seen are the Terrorcons. One crashed to the ground right next to him, half its head was scalded through as it sparks jerking, stuttering before dying.

He turns his head up to find what beast emitted a mighty roar overpowering the boom of thunder surge.

He runs his finger across the picture. “A dragon?”

The picture was of a ghastly monster with sharp teeth, wings, long-ears like a dog, its tongue stuck out lashing at the Terrorcons. Another hieroglyph shows the mighty dragon beast standing guard beside Omega Supreme. The last set of pictures shows Mini-Con stasis panels and the Aztec people carrying them to the sun.

“What does that mean?” Megatron snarled. “Is this or is this not the Grave Digger Mini-Con?” He glared fluster at the last picture. It unveils the dragon beast holding a Mini-Con plate in his claws. He frowns at this image. “Hmm…this must be unnoticed.” He takes two small devices from either hip and sets them on the ground beside the wall. The machines flickers lighting up and cover the wall and it’s hieroglyphics with a false wall that resembles the rest of the sacrificial chamber.

As Megatron steps back, he asks a further question. “Why would they place their history of peace in the same chamber they killed so many?” He examines the room. “Could it be…a reminder of past mistakes they were not to continue?” He paused contemplating this. “Or are there other reasons?” He eyes his own minion, Leader-one near the doorway staring at him as his little yellow eyes gleam into the dark dank container of death.

17
A mere two days had passed since Spike was put into sick bed. That was enough time for Blaster to heal and walk again.

Spike sits up on his emergency bed looking over at the doctor. “Can I get up now?”

Dr. Lipper was checking his status by a Diggy patch. He turns to Spike nodding. “Yes, just take it easy.”

Spike eases out of bed. “Amazing that energon.”

“Energon?” Veren walks in through the door.

“I have to say, I’m amazed you and Spike traded places.” Dr. Lipper says. It was true. Spike had been the critically injured one, not Veren.

“How you feeling, Spike?” She stands beside his bed.

He swung his legs around the side of the bed to stand. “Much better.” He wore a white bed ridden uniform that was made of some material that was foreign to Veren. It was a loose shirt and pants colored white with yellow trim. She could sense energies coming from the cloth.

“It’s a wonder, that energon.” Dr. Lipper explains. “Not only can the Transformer’s power up on it, but it can even heal or increase the growth rate of other organisms. We began studying all this after the Energon battles.”

“I seem to remember that.” Veren admitted.

“So, what were you doing?” Spike directs to her.

“I was looking for Sonic Boom when I heard you had recovered.”

“I remember that Mini-Con. Big guy. I think he wandered down to the mines.”

Veren turns her head curios. “The mines?”

“That’s what I saw.” Dr. Lipper takes his clipboard and walks away to input the discharge data of Spike on the computer.

She sighs shaking her head. “Now what is he up to?”

Veren left them and headed out for the elevators at the northeast side of the city, on her way she amused herself with the thought of Sonic Boom getting himself kicked from a mine. If that were the case they wouldn’t be able to keep him out. She knew he would always find his way back down into the dark moist area. It seemed suiting to the Mini-Con’s reptile appearance.

Again she made her stealthy entrance from the elevators into the dim mine merging with a line of Omnicons into am entrance tunnel as they went to their work areas. She knew it was stupid but she pretended to work there as though this was the every day routine. She realized what irony this was that as she tried to locate her friend on a daily basis. A group of Omnicons moved on the other side of the tunnel on their way to the elevators.

“Hey Quickfire.”

“Later Powerbar.”

The Omnicons that recognized the other called out greeting as they passed.

“Veren!”

She looks up as Strongarm passes. “Hey little buddy.”

“Little?” He shrieks as they pass.

They walked on until reaching an opening to a mined out area similar to the elevator she came from. An elevator here loaded many other Omnicons and Mini-Cons on their way to the surface. She realized why her first visit to the mine took her down one way and she surfaced from another. The elevator’s here were profoundly crowded, hence why Strongarm and other Omnicons traveled to the others. The tunnels and elevators of the mine were built similar to the ancient aquafiers of Peru.

Veren broke from the group hopping up onto a higher area of rock and took the tunnel near the elevator walking alone now. Omnicons rushed to and from the tunnel, she constantly pressed herself against the cold rock wall to let them by. A drop of water splattered against her arm, cold and icy. It reminded her how far under water and earth she was.

“It’s a Terrorcon.” Two Omnicons pass and the one leaving shouted to the one arriving.

A Terrorcon? Veren thought. I gotta see this. She ran down the remainder of the tunnel. It curved to the right and began opening up. An Omnicon with a wheel burrow drove by with a load of energon. Veren paused to state. “If it’s a Terrorcon, then shouldn’t the bugger be eating the energon?” She turned and continued. She halted when she came to a excavated area where the Omnicons drilled at the wall chipping away the rock and flint to uncover energon. They were finding excellent deposits of the gleaming mineral loading it into the wheel burrow’s lining one wall.

“Hrmm… munch, smack, smack, slurp…mm…munch, munch….”

She looks over at the feet of the Omnicons. Sonic Boom dug out small flints of energon they dropped and was eating it. She was a little confused but it seemed to make sense. How else would Sonic Boom power himself up? But she had never seen him eat energon like this before, he was down right ravenous.

Another jeep formatted Omnicon stood watching Sonic Boom as he ate the scraps of energon. “It’s like a Terrorcon but it’s not attacking us.”

“Sonic Boom?” Veren dashed over. The Omnicon noticed Veren only after she speaks.

He backed away as an Omnicon stepped away with another load of energon for the wheelbarrow. His jaws gnashed as he searched around for more scraps.

“Sonic Boom!” She grabs him by the neck dragging him away from the working Omnicons. “You’re a nuisance!”

“Marw!” He protests turning back to see the energon going to waste.

“Hey, is that your Terrorcon?” The Omnicon moved over to Veren when he sees her get Sonic Boom under control.

She turns to him tired. “He’s a Mini-Con.”

“A Mini-Con?”

“Yeah.” She holds onto Sonic Boom’s neck like a dog. “Sorry about the trouble.”

“Not at all. We figured it was the least we could do since he pointed us to this cash of energon.”

“Excuse me?”

He nods. “We were about to give this mine up for dry, but he started digging out the energon.” He eyes Sonic Boom wearily.

“Okay, fine. You did some work, go get your reward.” She releases him. “Sorry.”

“Arw!” He runs back gobbling up any dropped bits.

“He’s like a dog.” She shakes her head.

“Or a Terrorcon. They used to search the globe for seams of energon and ate it too.”

“To power themselves?”

“No, no. They were gathering it for their master. That’s when the Autobot’s began using energon stars from us Omnicons to give them a boost during battle. The Decepticon’s used energon chips that they got from the Terrorcons.”

“You don’t turn into some little monster and go around eating it, do you?”

He glares at her. “No.”

Veren grins behind her helmet. “Just checking.” She turns around walking for the exit. “I have to go.” She pauses though turning back. “Name?”

“Eh-Fortran.”

“Goodbye, Fortran.”

Fortran didn’t ask why she was leaving. Humans were not allowed in the mines and assumed that was the nature of leaving Sonic Boom. However, as he takes a glance of the raptor Mini-Con darting this and that way to collect all the scraps of energon, he can’t help but dread. He felt he knew why but didn’t understand why. He hoped for all their sake it was nothing serious.

-- -- --

In a city beyond the borders of South Carolina, the trees grow high around the gigantic skyscrapers and fresh grass grows. On the far eastern side of the city, construction teams clear the trees and cultivate the earth for suburban buildings. In the city traffic runs as normal. Through the streets surrounded by the large skyscrapers and small shops pedestrians walk from shop to shop making their routes in easy access. During the past few yeas, this city has been immune to the wars of the Transformer’s. No Autobot, nor Decepticon, ever had to set foot into this city. But all good things come to an end some time.

Pigeons shot up from the buildings in a flock sailing through the air with no apparent reason. A red and silver jet accompanied by a purple and black jet streak not high over the buildings, with a thunder boom rumbling the buildings in their foundations. The exhaust from the jets still in the air; it slowly dissipated to the atmosphere. People from the streets and cars stare up confused. It was illegal to fly jets over a city. They blocked out the terrifying possible answer.

People scatter from a street just beyond a small antique shop, others halt on the road to stare. A large sleek military tank rolls into the street as the pedestrians’ scatter. When the bystanders see this tank they too turn and run. People leap from the vehicles in terror. The tank rolls along smoothly and takes a course for the cars crushing them under its huge wheels. Glass and metal spray everywhere. Few humans take shelter in small shops along side the road, it was either to late to run or they felt safer hiding.

Megatron could see them all, through delicate thermal sensors. They would make excellent hostages later. The crunching cars beneath him felt pleasant like Autobot hides and Mini-Con bodies. He dwelled upon the day when Optimus Prime would finally fall beneath his feet to crush his body into the foundation of his memory. That day would come to him eventually as all things were meant to, it was only a matter of time.

He could detect Cyclonus north of the city hovering over the roads, he stopped traffic from abandoning and held them at bay. The tank halted swerving the tires and adjusting a cannon along its frontal.

“Humans! I have detected a Mini-Con stasis panel in your city! Produce it now or I shall label this city.” He paused with a rumble. “Ground Zero!”

-- -- --

The distress beacon sent of the onslaught was received by Autobots of Plains city whom relayed it to Ocean city, where the Autobot primary force was stationed. The alarm gave its low whine alerting all inhabitants to listen.

~ “Attention, all units are to report to Axis garage. A situation has occurred. I repeat, all units report to Ocean cities garage.” ~

Veren glanced up when she heard this. “Excellent….” She had to take a second look around. “Aw great! Boom! Where are you?” She decided to wait for him in the cities garage. If he were to look for her, he would undoubtedly check there.

Optimus already made his way to location and gave orders to the warriors that did answer. “Hot Shot, Ratchet, Spike, Prowl, Sparkplug, Shepard, High Wire, and Zephyr. You’re coming with me.”

“Yes sir.” They chorus their agreement in a shout.

“Red Alert and Strongarm, and Cliffjumper; remain on standby until I call you.”

They chorus to these orders.

“Any questions?” There were few instances where his troops would question him, sometimes a quirk reply just to get the team going, but he always accepted any intelligent input of those that put their trust in his abilities.

“Yeah. Where do we sign up?”

Prime turns to Veren in the doorway.

She looks up at him leaning forward. “You’re not letting us sit out again, huh?”

“Gama ruff que hart clark peurt?” Sonic Boom barked.

“Veren, I honestly didn’t think you’d be here. In this case, you’re coming with us.”

“Say what?”

“Hurf que?”

Spike takes his helmet off. “Alright. Maybe now we can see what that Mini-Con will pull.”

“A?”

Veren glances over at Sonic Boom. “Yeah, you.”

“Alright all, enough dialogue it’s time to depart. The Decepticon’s have invaded Monroe and it’s our job to get them out minimizing casualties. They believe a Mini-Con plate is to be gained, along with those located within the perimeter. The dormant is priority zero until rescue teams have arrived to locate survivors. I don’t need to tell you what we’re to expect only that the lesser evil is a painful take but sometimes these things can’t be helped.” He nods to his silent warriors. “With that said and acknowledged, transform and roll.” At his command the Autobot’s convert to their vehicular forms. Mini-Con’s hop aboard hitching a ride.

Hot Shot’s the first to roll onto the ramp, after he goes Spike is next followed by Optimus, Ratchet, Prowl, Veren and Sonic Boom were last.

While in the gate field Prime calls a new order. “Spike, you and Veren seek out the hidden Mini-Con.”

“So, we’re using Mini-Cons to find Mini-Cons?” Spike calls.

“Makes sense to us. What about ‘priority zero?’”

“Rawr.”

“Sparkplug has brought up a point.” He said. “The Decepticons will be easier to expel from Monroe if there’s no reason for them to continue searching. But it’s difficult to judge, Megatron may remain in spite of our presence to give his Decepticons a favored slaughter.” The acknowledgment was a gruesome one, many instances before Megatron had sought out small civilian cities in order to let loose the Decepticons and allow them time to ‘relax’ by killing off innocent humans, as a bonus they acquired any Mini-Cons inhabiting the rural area along with energon stores. This is what Optimus prayed they could avoid. “De-accelerate, we’re nearing our destination.”

They each pull through the warp gate’s exit, a gleaming wall of blue and white light. Ratchet nearly runs into an upturned car but swerves clear just in time.

“Whew. I say it’s safe to report the ‘Cons have been through this area.” He began scanning the wreckage to determine which warriors they would need to be wary of. “Megatron and seekers.”

“Spread out and search, take up arms only if necessary.” Optimus changed gears driving around the wreckage. In the distance his sensors pinpointed the sound of machine guns from either jets or helicopter, he doubted it was the human aid to the city.

“Oh, and maybe you’d like to put your suit on, huh Veren?” He turns driving to a cross section.

Ratchet calls a good luck as he drives the opposite way Prime went to locate the wounded or Decepticons needing a trouncing, whichever came first he could only fear.

Spike turns to Veren. “Hey, where is your suit?”

“Here.” She held the belt up around her waist.

“You should put it on, it’ll protect you if you’re hit.” High Wire bops a confirming reply.

Veren leans back on the motorcycle fastening the blade to the belts side. “I’ll be fine, I’m wearing my helmet. Besides, I have faith in Sonic Boom.” She pats the Mini-Con’s chasse.

“Rawwr.”

He shrugs. “Alright. But if you’re hurt, next time you’re wearing it.” If there’s a next time, he reflected. But he left it at that. If the going did get tough then Veren may be more prone to activate her suit, he didn’t want to dog her on it. He turns High Wire and drives onto the sidewalk, Veren follows.

The streets were littered with dead vehicles, trash was everywhere from over turned garbage units or office buildings that had been blown into. Few buildings stationed on the corner of streets often had a chunk torn out from Megatron as he thundered around. A whale spouted water from the cement after its fire hydrant was overturned, a fire burned from a gas main somewhere in the sidewalk. A tree was blazing and a branch began to burn up trying to infect the others.

“Garr!” Sonic Boom halts and transformed. Veren was thrown off his tail as he dashed up to the tree. He sliced the branches that were burning off and smothered the fire out with his feet and tail. He turned back to the black tree hoping he was not too late.

She walks over to him. “Boom, you okay?”

“Geh...”

Spike slows and turns High Wire back. “What’s with him?”

“He’s a global freak.” She hops onto his back. “Let’s go Sonic Boom. The Decepticon’s will hurt more trees.” She was teasing but he took it seriously.

“Guba!” He changed into a motorcycle and followed Spike away.

-- -- --

At the near the center of Monroe many had been captured and were now held hostage, to Cyclonus’ delight. The local park was the better location with clear skies and buildings distanced back to offer visual of a sneaky Autobot.

Skywarp was over seeing the lot stalking this way and that to remain vigilant that none escaped. He was aware the Autobots were on location searching for his team members and trying to help the humans that were too weak to move into the hostage camp. He wasn’t particular to either human or Mini-Con, humans were just cattle that needed to be herded and Mini-Con’s were tools to be used. His brother once said he had a fondness for Mini-Con’s but that was a long time back. Now Skywarp was sure he didn’t care. As long as Megatron was there to lead them he would do as he was commanded.

A human leapt out from the crowd trying to make it to the cars in the street. An abrupt, precise shot from Skywarp sent him scurrying back to the others.

“That’s what I thought.” He lowered his rifle and continued stalking about.

“I bet you wouldn’t thunk if you were their size.”

Skywarp twists to Ratchet as he lunges for him, he raised his rifle to shoot but the Autobot knocked it aside as he tackled him to the lawn, they crash generating a fearsome tremor through the soft earth. He sat up on the Decepticon hitting him with fists and Skywarp in turn tried to squirm away.

“Get out of here!” Ratchet yells. “I’ll keep him busy!”

The humans didn’t need a second order they scatter for the streets and buildings, Zephyr stood by pointing out routes they should take that were away from Decepticon detection, some people ignored him.

Skywarp stood back from Ratchet after the two ceased rolling, they jumped to their feet—he raised a foot with a sharp kick, Ratchet caught his foot and sent him spinning over in the air. When Skywarp hit the ground, Ratchet grabbed him around his chest and swung him upward.

While Skywarp went up Ratchet took survey of the surroundings making sure the humans had cleared. He looked up. Skywarp was not descending, he was not even in the air. He whirled around scanning for the Decepticon.

“Autobot!” He rams Ratchet from behind propelling him into a nearby shop. He takes his sword from his backside raising it.

Ratchet grabs him while still facing forward and hurtles Skywarp with a half-twist over his head and dashes after his direction as the Decepticon shatters through a high wall falling into the nice concrete floor of a skyscrapers lower lounge, glass and brickwork smashing against his hide.

Thinking before leaping Ratchet halts outside the hole kneeling and peering inside. Skywarp chucked part of the office desk at Ratchet, he knocks it aside with a placid swing, his gentle blow turns the desk into toothpicks. Skywarp dives out into Ratchet wrapping his arms around the Autobot’s mid section and charges forward, his large boots skid on debris as it shatters under his weight and he collapses onto the Autobot. The mistake doesn’t faze the Decepticon, he grabs Ratchet’s face.

“Let go of me!” He bundles his fists together and cleaves them down upon Skywarp’s skull with a thundering crack, the blow causes him to loosen his hold on Ratchet as his processing’s begin to slur, Ratchet slams down with an encore upon the delicate targeting systems built high into his helmet. The Decepticon’s instruments scrambled he slumps against Ratchet’s chest. “Heh, the old ways…still work.” Breathless but all right he drags his body out from under Skywarp and stands dusting himself off, he continues to scan the area for any injured. He was about to contact Prime but sudden searing pain entered from his lower back forcing him to convulse. He howls out as he’s lifted up and thrown aside into a parking lot. A section in his hard armor had been butchered with wires splintered everywhere, four deep ridges entered the wound.

Demolishor chuckled holding his glistening claws up to his leering faceplate. “I just love sneaking around. It’s so much fun to surprise ‘bots.”

-- -- --

Harold was a good man. He had black hair sleeked back to his skull and he was balding on top, he worked in a decent business. He was wearing his favorite navy blue suit and tie. This day he felt was going to be a special day, he was on his way to drop his kids off at school before he went to work…until Megatron came out of nowhere and ran his car over. He had been trapped inside.

Harold J. Penny was a good father, he had two sons one in high school and the other still in elementary. He had to leave them to find help. He found help in the form of two people riding heavy powered bikes, one bore the symbol of the Autobot’s. That’s all he needed. He ran into the cluttered road waving his arms for them to stop. They did.

“Oh, thank god. I’m in dire of assistance!”

“What’s wrong?” Was Spike’s immediate question.

He points off trying to get a grip in the form of a gulp. “My kids.” He panted. “Stuck. I need help!”

“Right, just hang on and keep calm. First, where are they?”

“I’ll take you there, but please…hurry….” He was so desperate and on the verge of tears. He was pathetic.

Veren rides Sonic Boom up beside him. “Get on, we’ll get you there in a flash.”

Now Spike was having his second thoughts. “I think there’s something wrong guys.”

“Huh?” Veren looks up. Something was wrong, the street had gone quiet. Before she could check on the guy behind her, he had already slipped off and dashed forward. Fast for a business type guy he runs down the road. She accelerates keeping Sonic Boom moving.

“I’ve brought them! Now please release my family!”

Veren turns to Spike as she dismounts Sonic Boom, Spike looked ready to run or fight depending on the situation handed to him.

Megatron steps out from behind a building after waiting patiently in the alley. When he sees Veren and Spike, he chuckles.

Sonic Boom twists into robot form and snarls at Megatron in rancor.

“You monster.” Spike snarls. “Using a bystander as bait! That’s low!”

“I’ll do anything I wish to claim this planet and all it’s riches!” He sneers.

Cyclonus came down into the road behind them snickering like an idiot, he aims his Gatling gun at the group intending to hit one if any before they could escape. “We got you trapped.” He giggled morbidly with glee.

“A trap.” Spike growled lowering his head.

Harold still begged with Megatron, who didn’t seem to be listening. “Please, I did what you said. Return my children?” He pleads like a child.

Veren lowered her head shaking it against her palm. “Oh, no…” She had caught Harold’s mistake.

Megatron finally turns to him sharply. “Was that an order?”

“Uh-no, I was asking—”

Veren noticed a car on the sidewalk behind Megatron, it had been there before, but she didn’t see it. It was crumpled like a matchbox and Leader-one sat on the smashed roof.

“Leader-one, escort their Mini-Cons to me. Nothing regrettable, I imagine.” His lips turn into a grin.

Leader-one looks confused. He turns to Megatron pointing a finger to his chest and chatters in a questioning tone.

“Of course you! Get to it!” He barks. The poor Mini-Con, in zero confidence to begin with nearly falls as he stumbles off the car. He slowly walks down the street to Veren and Spike. “Sonic Boom is wise to be still, a single movement from you four could prove fatal to this human.”

High Wire converts to his slim robot form beside Spike, concerned. He was worried what would become of him if Megatron retrieved his brother and sister. What would the Autobot’s do? When Leader-one was three flattened cars away he called out to him. “You do not have to do this.”

Leader-one paused, tilt his head in confusion. It sounded familiar.

“Don’t make me repeat myself!” He aimed the large cannon converted from hip to arm on the car behind him. “A third and this happy family will perish together! Leader-one, the Mini-Cons.”

“NO! My family has nothing to do with your war!” Harold shrieked.

“On contrary, human.” Megatron glared on him. “All your kind have to deal with this war. You just don’t know it yet.”

Cyclonus giggled. “I’m glad I don’t yodel no more.”

“I think I’d like to hear you yodel some time.” Veren replies as she watches Leader-one. She planned to fight. What she didn’t plan on was Sonic Boom getting in the way again.

He made a short lunge forward at the enemy android snarling with his head low he paused doggishly threatening to bite as he glared up at Leader-one. A deep growl rumbled in his chest.

Leader-one drew back, startled. He didn’t know what to do. Instinctively he charged the gun within his chest.

“Leader-one?” Megatron didn’t expect what would happen next.

The little Mini-Con fired on Sonic Boom striking a direct blow to his torso. Sonic Boom shrieked when he was hit, his body was thrown backwards to the ground behind the group. His head rolled on its side and his eyes dimmed, a side panel of his chest had been blown completely off and wires shown through his delicate innards. Leader-one stood up a little stunned by his accomplishment.

Megatron was speechless with the rest of them. He threw his head back and laughed. “I must have been mistaken! That can’t be the legendary Grave Digger!”

Spike was confused. “Grave Digger?” He turns to his Mini-Con. “Hey High Wire, have you ever heard of—” He stops there.

High Wire appeared disturbed. He stares at Sonic Boom trembling. He takes a step back from the large unconscious lizard bot, then another. He looked unstable by some internal malfunction.

Leader-one watched as Sonic Boom rose again. The Mini-Con should be none existent now, but his eyes blazed an awesome yellow and he opened his maw wide snarling at him. He turns and bolts for it. Sonic Boom chases him.

“GAT!” Megatron spat as he charged by Harold, nearly stepping on the man.

Veren turns to Spike in urgency. “Get High Wire to help Harold—” She ducks when laser bolts hit the street. They glare over at Cyclonus.

“Party time!” He runs at them shooting.

“I’m going to kill him.” Veren darts by Spike.

Spike rushes up to High Wire grabbing him. “Get a hold of yourself!” He shakes the Mini-Con by the shoulders.

High Wire looks at him. “What—”

“Get Harold’s kids and get him out of here!” He leaves High Wire to help Veren battle Cyclonus.

The Mini-Con gives his head a shake before stumbling off to take a route around flying cars.

“Get away from my Mini-Con!” Megatron slams a foot between Sonic Boom and Leader-one, this action sent his own minion flying into the air.

“Rawwr!” Sonic Boom snaps at the clawed foot and spins around raising his back legs to strike Megatron’s shin.

“ARR! You are rabid!” He grabs Sonic Boom around the chest and throws him into a nearby building. He turns suddenly remembering his hostages.

High Wire rips the door from the car and a young boy with a young man slid out of the crumpled mess.

“Get away from those!” Megatron fires at anything that moves inflicting massive explosions upon the still standing buildings.

Spike had just leapt skyward and planted a firm kick to Cyclonus jaw. The Decepticon shrieked recoiling from the fighter.

Veren flung her blade sending it sideways hoping to strike Cyclonus’ knee. The blade missed but upon its return it did slice through his shoulder. While Cyclonus took note of the fresh wound Spike punched him at a point behind the head, his suit increased his strength only by a tiny decimal point but he was a strong human.

“Aw, you humans are mean!” He grabs his arm backing away from the small assailants.

“Wait—” Spike turns back as Cyclonus fires round after round on him. He ran a perimeter around him to avoid a chance of being hit.

Sonic Boom’s wound slowed him down, he was pinned under Megatron’s foot after he directed fire from the humans to himself. He turns his head upward hissing in pain and fury at Megatron, his free arm gropes the ground trying to give him leverage to get up.

Megatron sneers leaning down putting pressure on his foot. “Pathetic Mini-Con. Did you really believe you could stop me from claiming this city?”

“Rie.” He pleads.

Megatron lowers the cannon fixed to his arm until it pressed against Sonic Boom’s head, the tip swirls with purple energy. “Good bye—”

Veren wasn’t sure what happened. She remembered huddling down rather leap to safety before the explosion came. Now she was spinning in the air with equilibrium everywhere but her head. She saw something dark colored prior to smashing into the black door of a truck as she skid into it, she left a nice dent she would have felt proud of if she wasn’t so vertigo. Her head throbbed through the helmet and the picture was static. One quick hit and she could see again but her head throbbed even more from that tap. She felt sick. Her left shoulder with body was numb, but after testing it, she found it wasn’t broken. She wobbled when she stood and called:

“Sonic Boom?”

He crashed from the sky right in front of her, the concrete consumed his body suckling on the edges of his armor. He uttered a groan.

Veren stared at him in banal confusion trying to come to terms with what had happened. The best she collected was that when the gun exploded, he was sent straight up due to the shock. That was the best she saw, though explaining it to the others would be more fitting of someone who was blind. She wondered where she had landed. She looked up at Cyclonus as he and Spike went back and forth trying to get the other. Megatron was nowhere in sight.

“You guys are going to level this city.” She spoke a little spooked by her own words. The car in front of her exploded for no reason, the shock wave of red flames sent her back into the truck. “Damn it!” She slumped to the ground stunned by her wounds.

“Veren, look up.”

To Megatron’s voice she should know better, but she does look. He stands looming over her battered body and Sonic Boom’s crumpled shell, his right arm looked terrible, worse than when the gun imploded under water at his hip. He held Leader-one as a slick, sharp, quadruple barrel gun. He was beaming with a mixture of hard wraith and glee.

“You sure do like your guns.”

“There is no one to save you now.”

“You sure do say that a lot.”

“This time is final.” He turned his aim blowing a hole in the truck behind Veren.

Too sickened by her wounds she only lowered her head covering the helmet, her knuckles were singed but she was fine. She looked up at him. “You’ll regret that.”

“Not today.” He pulled the trigger—Sonic Boom sprang up right under the gun biting the trigger! Megatron pulled his hand away releasing the weapon.

Sonic Boom took with him the shattered trigger between his teeth and glared up at Megatron as he limped backwards. Leader-one hits the street with a damaged leg, he was completely motionless. Sonic Boom spat the splintered metal aside and snarled at Megatron once more verbalizing his hate.

Veren hopped onto him and dropped down in front of him. “Let’s go Sonic Boom! Show me what you’re made of!”

He uttered a high-pitched howl tilting his head up, his chest tore open extending strong cables to wrap about her torso and shins, in some way they resembled gnarled tentacles. They tighten pulling her back into the open cavity of his chest, her drawn knees melt through his midsection. With a quick snap, Sonic Boom’s chest fastens over hers. The red bands going down his arms gleam with life, his head spins around becoming a decoration emblem upon Veren’s back and her helmet takes place on his shoulders.

“You little brute!” Megatron swings his arm up striking his wrist to Veren’s chin with enough force to shatter diamond.

It sends her backward through a layer of vehicles that buckle and smash away from the sturdy Mini-Con body, they crash back into an old brick barbershop. She winces trying to stand, the wall crumbles around her raptor thighs and over the tail, red dust wafts up coating the helmet. She shakes her head as she stands and leans to one side keeping her head down. She could have been concentrating on ancient alchemy.

“Hmm?” Megatron observes to assert what this human would do next. He gasps when he witnesses the patches of ripped metal replacing them selves on Sonic Boom’s chest with fresh red glowing material, soon after the red parts appear they solidify into new armor. The broken wing fixes itself easily. Megatron looks disgusted. “Healing yourself?”

“Healed.” Veren scowls at Megatron. “You took a family hostage.”

“I do what I’m authorized to.” He gives an innocent shrug from his armored shoulders.

Veren prepares to charge. “Then you need some restrictions, blow hard!” She charges leaping onto a car and smashing it in under her weight.

Megatron reaches over his shoulder and takes a hilt that was embedded into his back, the weapon opens above his head surging with pure energy coursing through his systems to this conductor to form a slim double edge mauve ax. He brings it down like a tsunami. “NO!”

Veren sidesteps it onto another vehicle. While Megatron brings his weapon down slicing through cars and concrete, she leaps up with force hitting the Mini-Con’s shoulder to his midsection. Megatron cried out swinging around, he manages to smash his elbow to Veren’s backside. She slumps falling to the ground with a crash. The Decepticon lifts his foot to smash the brains of both Mini-Con and human across the street. She snaps up grabbing his foot holding it at bay, but her arms quiver ready to give out. Megatron applies more pressure straining to snap both in two. Sonic Boom snarls as Veren puts her legs up pressing them to Megatron’s foot, she wills all the strength in Sonic Boom to shove him off. In surprise he loses his balance and falls onto a small shop tearing through the side. When the building collapses inward, two humans scatter while a third drags their wounded friend away from the gathering ruble, blood seeped from his arm and head across the street.

Megatron turns to them as he sits up and reaches over to grab the noble man.

“NO!” Veren takes both blades from the shoulder wings and slices them through the air for Megatron.

He recoils his hand and stands again stomping over to Mini-Con bond human. He leans over letting the cannons on his back burn plasma for Veren. He jerks around when a free flying blade struck his lower back, the other flies for her. She grabs it perfectly and almost utters in an amazed tone, she spins away as Megatron fires once again. He pulls the little blade from his back while stalking after her and flings it, his force causing the blade to spin light speed fast. However Veren whirls back and jumps at the blade as it moved blindly, she coiled her feet up under her as the it passes within swing an inch from severing Sonic Boom’s tail. The blade struck the ground with end high. Veren leaps at Megatron’s face, even as he continues to fire. She lashes out with the claws on her hand slicing him across his chest.

“Get away from me!” He moves away swinging his damaged arm and bats Veren into the ground.

She bounces and rolls into the blade still standing on the road. Grabbing it from under her she realizes it damaged Sonic Boom’s back, she raises the blade crouching low on one outstretched leg placed against the tarmac. Megatron stalked over once more and raised his ax again. It glistened above his head in the light of day transparent with the energies surging through it. Before he could bring it down she shot up into his gut slamming the raptors feet in his not so dense belly, she flipped backwards darting up again and smashed the raptor’s powerful foot into his cheek.

Megatron staggared backwards stepping on a car and rubbing the corner of his mouth with the side of his arm wiping away a clear fluid from a crushed servo, he steals a glance at Veren as she hovers in the air across from him ready for another go. He grips the ax with both hands and reels around swinging it with enough wraith to send it to Pluto, rather he smashed it against Sonic Boom’s chest.

They both give a cry as Veren spirals backwards in the air, for a moment becoming a spherical blur. Sonic Boom’s heavy armor drives them into the ground. Veren blacks out. Sonic Boom’s toe twitches on impulse recoiling with a k-k-clack.

Megatron wobbled on his heavy feet chuckling. He was aware the blow from Sonic Boom’s foot did more than damage his jaw but it was worth it. “Maggots.” He utters as he stumbles over trying to look dignified. He reaches down to take up Veren and Sonic Boom in one grasp—

“GO!” A voice shouts and a small bomb pops by Megatron’s flank.

He turns his head up. “What?” He snarls between gritted teeth.

“Get out of our city, Megatron!” Another voice spat at him with disgust.

“Who’s there?” He searches scanning. He looks down when he detects a faint signal. A human wearing an odd helmet had done something to his ankle and now ran for his life. “Why you little!” He reaches down to crush him between his fingers. An explosion erupts from his ankle. “AHH!“ He grabs his wound. Another explosion erupts right by his exposed right arm. “ACK!” He twists retreating from the harmless, yet painful bursts. A Mini-Con popped up from behind a car firing a few shots at Megatron before ducking down. A group of humans from the other side of the street followed this wave.

“Megatron!” Cyclonus shrieks.

Megatron turns to him. To his amazement about five humans wearing oddly decorated helmets and a Mini-Con with them held small pistols firing on him. Normal pistols, normal bullets, normal humans—no harm should come from this equation but of the Mini-Con. Except, these humans fired in specific areas in the joints. He turned to a sharp pain in his wound on his right ankle. A human with a helmet was perched on his leg messing with the wires. Megatron screeched at him in rage ready to tear his fleshy body limb from limb, but a sudden pain to his left turned his attention. Another Mini-Con had done something to his hip. He stalked after the small ‘bot as he made a run for it—his hip exploded from a small bomb!

“AHHH! No Mini-Con is worth this treatment!” Megatron had come to realize they took too long to attack, the humans had been waiting for this opportunity when he was weak to launch their force. He scoops up his damaged Mini-Con calling exhausted. “Decepticon’s, retreat….” He vanished. Part of the reason to retreat was to repair his critical wounds caused in his skirmish with Veren’s hybrid suit. If he came across an Autobot now in his weakened state there was no way to defend him self.

Spike was still tense when the Decepticon’s disappeared. He had no idea what the people would do to him if they were anti-Transformer. He studied the area.

High Wire skid up beside him after the coast was clear. The little Mini-Con had been protecting Harold and his panicked family during this time, now a new set of humans took over. He looked around perplexed. This was the first time he witnessed humans fighting Decepticon’s, and it reminded him of his younger days.

“Over here.”

Spike glanced over as the people with the strange helmets circle Veren, three Mini-Cons had joined them but remained a safe distance back. He decided to find out what was going on, High Wire follows him. When he gets closer to this group, he realizes the helmets resemble the one Veren wears somewhat. “Hey, what are you doing?” He pushed through them to see.

“Are you with this unit?” A robust sounding person turns to him. He wears a brown suit a bit dusty from debris raining down and running back and forth, his tie was undone hanging around his neck. The back of his suit and the front of his chest were saturated with sweat and his breath was labored. He waited for Spike’s answer.

“Uhh, yeah. She’s with me.” He wondered why they had asked.

The man turns away to those hovering around Veren. “Right. Someone remove the helmet.”

An obvious female takes it and carefully slides it off Veren’s head. She sets it beside the Mini-Con’s shoulder and scoots back. Veren looked strange with her head attached to the large body of the Mini-Con. There was blood in her ears and some at the corner of her mouth.

A man in a doctor type attire leans over her. Spike notes he is without identification. He checks Veren’s pulse, then opens her eyelids shining a small pen light at each. He sets back speaking through his muffled helmet, he was tried to change his voice so no one like Spike would recognize. “Incredible. No head trauma. Her pulse is already returning to normal after the battle.”

“What about the blood at her ears, could that be a ruptured ear drum?” Spike points out.

He shakes his head. “It’s possible.”

“Alright, but who are you people?” He looks around at them. “Why do you wear helmet’s like hers?” Spike knew they weren’t like hers, aside from appearance they were all different colors, shapes, designs, and some were even just ordinary motorcycle helmets with tinted visors.

“Have you heard of Auto-Deception?” The man asks.

Spike gasps. “Are you them?”

“No. We’re just a small fraction. We live everywhere like normal people, however when Transformers bring their fights to our city we come out of hiding and strike when it is appropriate.”

“I have a lot of questions.” Before he could deny any Spike blurted. “Are you the leader of this organization?”

He shakes his head. “No. I am Force. Number twenty-three in line of command and sub-divider of this squad. No one knows who the organizer is. We get tips, information, basic stuff. No one has given a name though. Some have declared themselves the organizer, but it’s all lies.”

“But there is an Auto-Deception?”

“Maybe. Maybe you never saw us. Maybe your friends will come by saying they were chased from this city by a bunch of humans wearing helmets. They’ll just deny it for your safety. It’s easier to scare off Autobots than Decepticons. Decepticons want to kill you, Autobot’s are just soft. I don’t know, maybe since we took such direct force they’ll out right and admit it? Is it really that important? Is it?”

“You just played ant hill with Megatron.”

“A famous move.” Some unseen voice announced.

“I…came up with it… when I was little….” Veren tries to sit up.

“Bizarro Veren.” To Spike’s surprise Force salutes the high school student. “I am sorry, we had to remove your helmet.”

“It’s sier.” She takes the helmet replacing it on her head. “Megatron?”

“Retreated.”

“Bizarro Veren.” She turns to the doctor. “Why are you working with the enemy?”

“Enemy?”

She tilts her head. “Is that any of your business, questioning a stealth unit?”

“Eh-uh-no.” He lowers his helmet-encased head. “No sir.”

Veren pushes herself off the ground to stand the doctor and women help her stabilize on the large raptor feet. High Wire backs away with the three Mini-Cons’ when she moved to her feet. She turns to Force. “Thank you for your assistance.”

He salutes her. “It was an honor.” He turned away when an annoying beeping sound comes from a smaller mans apron.

The man was obviously a waiter from a restaurant, he wore a white shift buttoned all the way and black pants. He takes a small black mechanical device from his apron and turns to Force after checking it. “The Autobot’s are on their way. Dictionary failed.”

“That’s satisfactory.” He turns to the others calling in an authoritive type voice. “Time to disperse to your labeled areas, until next time.”

The ten something humans and Mini-Cons turn and scurry away in different directions. They appear to just disappear into the ruble surrounding the city as though they were never there. The only evidence was the small scraps left over from when their homemade pipe bombs went off.

Force hands Spike something wrapped in a ripped sheet. “I stole this off Starscream. They were fighting at the south side of our city where Offbeat was mining with him. When I saw it, I took it. I trust your soft friends will watch over it.” When Spike accepts the parcel, Force spins around and joins the others in hiding.

“Um?” He unwrapped the sheet. A green plate gleamed in his face. “Well, I’ll give them that they’re handy.” He turns to her. “Bizarro Veren?”

“My field name.” She still wobbled on her feet, he held her still by an arm.

“Why did he keep saluting you?”

“Hmm?” She looks at him. “In Auto-Deception standards, I’m they’re superior. Most these guys never get an attack run. They had nothing under their belt until today. But see, me, I’m called a stealth unit: a Transformer chaser. I look for fights. I got a lot of experience for someone isolated to a single area.”

“So, before you stuck into the ERPP you were already an experienced fighter?”

“No, I don’t even know how to punch properly!” She growled. “I’m only their superior because I’m one of the oldest Auto-Deception’s working.”

“Oh.” Spike understood what she meant. She was younger than Force of course but she had been a part of Auto-Deception longer and survived many fights before were others had died. He touched the side of his helmet establishing connection with the public line. “Optimus, we got the Mini-Con.”

~ “We’ll be right there. As soon as we finish evacuating the humans from the city.” ~

-- -- --

Optimus Prime eventually came upon Spike and Veren with Prowl and Hot Shot in his presence. They had to carefully step over the cars and debris from the confrontation with Megatron.

“What party did we miss?” Hot Shot exclaimed when he saw the burnt buildings.

Spike ignored the sarcasm. “Did everyone get evacuated safely?”

“Yes, after we got some annoying humans out of this city.” Prowl grumbled rubbing his back from the experience.

“Nothing. Oh, before I forget,” Spike holds the stasis panel up. “Look what some guy sold us.”

“Excellent you two.” It was a small accomplishment but at least the Decepticons had gone and no fatalities were located yet.

“Actually, you should thank the Auto-Deceptions.” Veren turned her face away.

“Auto-Deception?” Hot Shot puzzled. “That illegal organization?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure it’s the Mini-Con?” Prime was skeptical.

She moved over peering at it. “Feel’s like the Mini-Con.”

“How can you be sure?” Prowl crosses his arms over his blue chest.

“You still look up to Rodimus.” With this said Veren leaves.

Prowl held a surprised expression on his faceplate. “H-how’d she know?” He stuttered.

Veren shares a sly smirk with Spike.

“Is there anymore you wish to report, Spike?” After he answered the group gathered to take in their further orders. “Zephyr along with those absent will remain to aid in the rescue crews, as for us we’re returning to base. We can use the rest and repairs.” He eyes Veren when she laid her hand on the damaged portion of Sonic Boom’s chest. “Transform and we’ll return to base.” They convert and start their engines.

Spike climbs into Optimus with High Wire while Veren hops up onto Hot Shot’s hood.

“Don’t mind me.”

“I won’t.”

Optimus creates the wormhole back to Ocean city while Prowl follows, then Hot Shot.

“Mind my paint job.” Hot Shot complains as Veren lies back.

“I won’t.”

Spike began talking with Optimus on their way. “Was anyone injured during the combat with Decepticons?” It was very if ever when the Autobots did leave the battlefield and no one was wounded or needed an emergency withdrawal. He knew Prime wouldn’t mention it to anyone until matters had stabilized but asking himself would deliver the desired answer.

“Ratchet was. He was just torn up a little by Demolishor, nothing some repairs won’t fix. I’m told he’s seen worse.”

“That’s good news I guess.” He crossed his arms behind his head and rested back against the soft seat.

“Did something else occur in my absence?”

“Oh, it’s just…I noticed Megatron likes following Veren around.”

“Hmm….” He hums. “I noticed that as well.” It was also another precursor to withhold the human from the field despite her dynamic skills. He couldn’t use Veren’s Mini-Con as bait but the palpable conclusion in the recent battle had been obtained.

High Wire made a murmured click to himself.

He leans forward a bit holding up his hands. “I saw that thing take a direct hit to the chest. It was down. Then… it stood right back up and fought Megatron…well, actually it chased Leader-one around.” Spike turns to the silent High Wire. “And I remember you zoning out on me too.”

“I was… frightened….” He looks down ashamed.

“Why?”

“He….” High Wire paused. “He frightens me.”

This sounded all too familiar to Optimus Prime. He was shocked at what the Mini-Con was saying but couldn’t be sure. He suddenly lost all confidence he had in Sonic Boom as a reliable ally, but tried to hold it with the thought of Spike. Of course, Spike would have been killed if it were not for Sonic Boom. But High Wire’s words were troubling as he was one of the most reliable advisors aside from Sparkplug, that Optimus had found.

“High Wire.” He replies gently. “Why are you frightened of Sonic Boom?”

Spike took his helmet off. “It was after Megatron mentioned the name ‘Grave Digger.’”

“'GRAVE DIGGER?'” If Optimus had been driving he would have braked no matter who was behind him.

18
Greg sat at a computer working on the data logs he had selected. The room was set with a balcony for the smaller inhabitants of Cybertron such as humans, Mini-Cons, Mini-Bots, and Omnicons to work comfortably. The station he was set at was one of the smaller control towers scoping out any Mini-Con signals within the perimeter, those that had just suddenly flared up under Cybertron or the outer extending signals spread over the nearby planets of Earth.

During the past year Mini-Con’s had been awakening all over the place. It was recently discovered that Mini-Con’s had gone dormant within Cybertron, this was a curiosity to many as no one had any idea and no one ever detected their stasis panels while scouting for energon. Many that had been revived were now living in a new world they had to adjust to, Autobot’s and other Mini-Con’s helped them adjust to this life. The greatest change to any Autobot friendly Mini-Con were the Decepticon’s and Terrorcons walking about the city.

He ruffled his dark hair, the tips had been died a deep red. He was not necessarily young though acted and appeared young. He had numerous piercings in one ear along the rim, he wore a black spiked dog collar around his neck. The rest of his clothing was normal for his work, a long lab coat over a sky blue buttoned shirt and khaki pants. When he was younger he served time in the military, a decorated private. He still wore his dog tags, aside from his technical life he was still in the military. He indulged more into the scientific crap. He loved creating and building things just like a distant cousin of his. However more than his mechanics he loved was his historian knowledge, he loved history and trying to crack its befuddling case. He loved trying to figure enigmas out, being puzzled by conundrums, becoming lost in the maze of the Transformers history. It was all fascinating to him of their life and culture.

When Dr. Greg Ruse wasn’t working he was with his family. His eighteen-year old daughter was into similar work as he, she went back and forth from Cybertron to Earth on a daily basis. She programmed software that many of the Transformer’s used when alternating their forms and even worked in the borderlines between the conflicting governments of Cybertronian and Earthlings. With Optimus’ help she even designed a few ‘special’ cases. His youngest daughter Kaysign had only just turned three, she was an angel. He sometimes brought her to work to see the Transformers and learn what he did for a living. She grew up immersed in the world of robots in disguise that if one took her from it she wouldn’t know where she was anymore. She was innocent and gifted, she could tell a normal car from a Transformer, to what one originated from even if they bore no symbol. He now had a baby boy named Craig, his forth child. His younger but not youngest son, a fifteen-year-old named Bolt.

Bolt hated Transformers, no one quite knew why, there was no real reason. He committed various ‘harmless’ pranks on certain Autobots or Decepticons, reprogramming or hacking them. He was declared a nuisance that earned a good deal of suspension, if it weren’t for his incredible hacking skills that they needed for Decepticon deciphering he would have been expelled from Plain city. Greg’s beautiful wife Jeniva was younger than him by ten years but she seemed older than him, he was ‘so immature at times’ as she would say. Thus, it basically balanced out.

Greg was very content with his family, though he was convinced he had one bad seed he loved them all. Though his job consumed a great deal of his time he found ample opportunities to take off and visit his wife and children, he made good money and received a home in an exotic location. Planet Cybertron.

The light in the room flicked on and Tech enters. “Sitting in the dark will ruin your eyes.” Her long white lab coat was buttoned at her waist giving her a mysterious heir, her ID tag hung over her chest. She was only thirteen and barely developing. She had retained a slight pug nose since she was a small child.

She walks over to Greg holding up an envelope. “Mail time, Dr. Ruse.”

“Don’t call me Dr. Ruse, it’s just….” He sighs. “Greg.”

“Okay. Mail time.” She sighs. “Greg.”

“Give it.” He takes it from her when she dangles it in front of his nose. “Mail? Mail from whom?” He begins ripping the paper.

“I hope it’s not too long.” She giggles sitting at a chair beside him and spinning around on it.

He takes the note and reads it. “Hmm…”

“What is it?” She leans over.

“A letter from Prim-o Prime.”

“Ooh, you’re important.”

“It say’s he wants me to visit Ocean city some time. He has questions about Cybertronian history.” He checks the back. “That’s all he wrote.”

“That’s all she wrote.” She quotes a line from TV. She leans back in her chair to look at Greg as he sits behind her. “Well, you gonna give him a call?”

“Why? He’s honestly mistaken. I don’t know anything about Cybertron history-eeh, in a sense that we are talking about the same Prime. I mean, I know a thing or two but why would he want to talk to me? I just read the stuff. I never lived through it.”

“Maybe something’s going on and he doesn’t get it.” She turns around and gives Greg a pouty face. “Don’t disappoint him.”

He crumples up the envelope and rereads the letter. “I don’t think so, I’ve been real busy with the new digs and the data logging I’ve had to do, plus I gotta see my kids.” He grinned.

“I have too much work.” He stands up ruffling her hair as he walks away. “You should get some sleep, it’s really late now.” He stretches yawning as he leaves through the door.

“I just did, it’s morning now!” She yells after him.

-- -- --

Skybomb stood in one of the underground pathways, its high rising ceiling archway was taller than any Guardian robot. Strange designs were engraved in the ceiling from the soft metal, it was falling apart and much was ineligible. He stood in a smaller archway that connected to a small, darker, tunnel large enough that another Transformer could walk through with his arms up.
“Ho hum, I am bored.” He sighed. There was no light, he was far underground so nothing filtered from the ceiling but grit. He looked around and sighed again. He looked down at his silly tiny feet with the three toes. “I’m easily bored and easily amused.” He turned and walked along the left side of the tunnel, the other side was imbedded with the floor so this was his only choice. The wall was curved like a form of cone spliced with a hexagon, it was gritty like old rusted metal found in the desert, much of it had decomposed and littered the floor. “Hmm, hmm….” He started up the music left in his chest, softly so no one would hear him. He debated whether or not he should blast it over someone else’s frequency the way Blaster had shown him. He began to notice the tunnel changing shape. It began veering away from him. He followed it wondering if the Transformer’s within had enough room to walk around or maybe they would call him to help. That was an insult he felt and he huffed.

~ “Skybomb!” ~

“Here?” He halts turning away from the tunnel.

~ “Where are you?” An annoyed voice cries alarmed. ~

“Why, exploring. Why?”

~ “We’re under attack you slag head!” ~

Skybomb cringed. “Ooh.” He thought. That’s not going to look good on my record.

~ “Get to the entrance, NOW!” ~

“Yes sir.” He turns running back.

What Skybomb left behind was no end of a tunnel. What he didn’t see was the gigantic hand with the thick tipped fingers. The pinky could unintentionally crush the largest Transformer and Skybomb missed it.

The small Decepticon rushed to the front of the tunnel hovering across the ground using the jets on his back. He fell into chaos. Lasers were going in and out of the tunnels entrance. He paused studying the scene. Three Decepticon’s fired into the tunnel purple lasers and two red sets exit. A fourth Decepticon emerges dragging one of the jet formatted Omnicons around the neck, he was out of it. The Decepticon’s kept their fire on the Autobot’s inside.

Skybomb frowned. They hadn’t detected him yet, he wasn’t worth shooting, and the final insult was kidnapping this Omnicon right in front of him. The rage shot like flames in his tiny form overwhelming his own spark in his chest and exited through the thrusters on his back. He shot forward ramming the Decepticon with an outstretched fist.

He uttered a guck but recovered quickly dropping the Omnicon and grabbed Skybomb. He lifted the small Decepticon high. “You have some nerve, Runt!”

“My names not Runt, its Skybomb! Skybomb!” He takes a sword from his jet armored back and he thrusts the blade into the Decepticon’s chest.

“AHHH!” He drops Skybomb recoiling over his body and backing away hunching over himself.

Skybomb jumped back when the other three Decepticon’s start firing on him, he holds his sword with his hands using both ends to hold off their fire, it destroys the hilt in the process. Two rocket launchers that sit on his shoulder fire solid missiles at the three Decepticon’s. The Autobots shooting from behind him gives him more courage and he leaps at a Decepticon standing between the other two. He plants his sword into his chest kicking him with his sharp heels hoping to send him onto his back. He does better.

Skybomb slices the Decepticon’s arm off and he lets out a howl of pain. He throws the little Decepticon down and reels around changing into a jet and takes off, spinning on side due to the loss of balance of his severed limb. The other two grab their fallen ally and drag him away.

Skybomb walks over to the Omnicon as he puts his sword away. “Are you functioning, Lexicon?” He leans over into his face.

“Hh…” He glares up at Skybomb. “This is all your fault, Runt.”

“I know.” He points off to the severed arm. “I got a souvenir. And the names, Skybomb.”

“Not that!” The Omnicon stands up and grabs him around the shoulders. “Where were you?”

“Exploring!” You knew you did something really wrong when an Omnicon began yelling at you.

“You were assigned to stand guard, not wander off when you feel like it!” Lexicon sighed retaining control of his voice. He has to keep reminding himself that this was a Decepticon, and a very young juvenile one at that. With this he had to remember he had returned and no one was hurt. “You can’t just wander around like that when you’re given an order. You have to follow through.”

The small Decepticon follows him, because ‘he wasn’t given and order not to.’ Plus, he didn’t think Lexicon was done talking to him.

The tunnel was lit dimly by tiny light generated by Mini-Con’s that lined either wall. They walked for a good while and Skybomb kept track of time in case he was given a chance to explore the outside of the tunnel again. He wanted to mark how deep he went. They followed two Autobot’s, their colors were only extinguishable by their glowing optics, a blue pair and a green pair. They halt by a normal wall like the rest they passed when walking deeper into the tunnel.

“Here it is.” Said the Autobot with green eyes. “Undisturbed for millions of years.”

Lexicon peered at the wall. “Yes, I see. Marvelous.” He seemed pleased as he leaned back.

Skybomb peered around his right flank to see. “What is it?”

The blue-eyed Autobot was about to speak, but only managed a squeak when Lexicon broke in.

“We found these images carved into the wall here. It doesn’t tell a story but merely shows one event at its peek.” He motions the wall. “It shows an Autobot and Decepticon reaching up to this bright orb, above the orb hovers a monstrous Transformer. Whoever touches the orb may control the fate of this being.”

“The two reaching for the orb. It doesn’t show, but could it be Megatron and Prime?”

“He is. We believe this may have had something to do with the Energon battles, when Megatron did obtain control of the monster. It could even go farther back than their time.”

“So, he was like the spoils.” He tilts his head.

“We’re trying to figure it out, but no one can really be sure—” Lexicon turns to him snapping. “What are you doing in here anyway? You’re supposed to be outside standing guard!”

Skybomb grins as he dashed away. “Heh, sorry!”

He shakes his head. “Maybe he can be replaced….”

“Lexicon, look.”

He turns to the blue-eyed Transformer. “What?”

He chips away at some of the corroded metal oxide carefully. “Look what is under the two reaching for the orb.” When he rubs away at the rotten oxide, the symbols of Mini-Con’s are printed beneath them, little seashells washed upon the shore of a grand event.

Lexicon stares intently. “What does that mean?”

Planet Earth
On Ocean city as the sun sets in the sea changing the beautiful water to a mauve color and the sky dots with playful stars across the monarch colored sky smeared with a crimson of pinks. High Wire stands on the balcony of control room central of the Cybertron city. The sky colors slowly deepen to dark and navy blues illuminating the stars greater colors. Behind him stood Sureshock and Grindor.

“It rises with hunger.” Grindor steps up beside High Wire to look over his shoulder at the city below. “It will come here.” He feels a slight shudder through his round feet, this tells him the inner workings of the ship are coming to life.

High Wire shifts his weight from one delicate foot to the other and puts his hands to his hips. “I fear the Mini-Con’s will once again be drawn into a new war.” He watched Sonic Boom far below him on the cool grass of the city’s leisure park.

-- -- --

Sonic Boom runs back and forth scaring the seagulls that land on the ground, trying to make them leave the city, he gallops on four legs jumping to two hollering like the damn lizard he is.

Veren chases after him telling him to halt, stop, cut it out. “Sonic Boom, you’re not helping!” She keeps chasing him as he runs by, she waves her arms shouting at him some more.

“Rawwr!” He halts when the left side of the city raises up to in close the entire construction in a protective dome bubble. He jumps up waving his arms because the seagulls are still inside the dome.

Veren turns to him clutching the head. “We’ve failed!”

“Or rarrrr!” He wails falling over and rolls around on the grass.

Veren jumps on him. “You idiot! I told you it wouldn’t work! Didn’t I tell you? Bad Mini-Con, bad!” She hits him over the head with the helmet, it doesn’t hurt, it’s just annoying.

“Grrr!” Sonic Boom leaps up and tries to escape by running away.

Veren grabs the tip of his tail as it passes just above her nose. “Gotcha—WHOA!” She is pulled along on her back as Sonic Boom is still intent on escaping, with her free hand she slips the helmet on just in case they began fighting again.

The sides of the sealed dome begin immersing in the ocean water, it slowly falls without uttering a shudder displaying excellent ingenuity to create such a massive construct that was as silent as a mouse.

“Hur, hur, hur….” Sonic Boom hops off into the blue pond built to go with the park appearance.

“Sonic Boom!” She snarls standing up drenched. “You meanie!”

“Har-har!” He runs away as she lunges for him. The helmet smashed into the grass in his wake.

High Wire emitted a mechanical tone. “Maybe there is hope for us….”
19
Three months passed and for a time the Ocean city team had time to complete healing and improve on training. The missions for Autobots stationed on Earth rotated among the individual teams of Cybertron cities to thwart any attempt attack by renegade Decepticons stationed on Earth, the riffraff of Decepticon standards and not worth the time of day for those of Plains city or Blizzard city.

For Sonic Boom there was no moment of rest, he had much to do in the short amount of time he had free from his current duties, whatever they may be. Once or twice an Autobot from one of the other cities had traveled to the pacific in order to relate some vital data to Optimus Prime personally, unbeknownst to them the raptor Mini-Con was nearby listening to these conversations and calculating his odds.

He quietly watched and listened to the Autobots all around him, studying them. He heard what they didn’t want him to hear. He lurked in the corners or beside the wall. He was not behaving very trustful of his protectors, he wanted to but it was difficult for him. He had never encountered Autobots before, his recent experience had all been bad. He didn’t understand how to handle them, how to work with them, he was premature in their ways. The human he had allied himself to was a great help, she seemed to have a lot of Transformer know how psychology, or something helping her maybe a sixth sense. Sonic Boom’s understanding of Autobots was fairly simple though, he understood they were friendly with anything not seeking to destroy them or others. Most were trusting and open with each other, groups could take down large numbers of Decepticons by just being there for the other to back up. That was something he understood, and yet could not comprehend. It frustrated him.

He was thankful one morning when Veren had finished brushing her teeth she went to the living room where he took roost.

“Wanna do some shopping?”

He gladly agreed with an exuberant. “Fawar!”

Veren finished getting her day clothing on and snapping her Autobot suit around her waist, in the form of a fashionable belt. She, for once in a long time, picked her sack-pack up before exiting the door. Once outside Sonic Boom snatched the bag from her and ran away. She had to chase him down before he reached the bridge, he might have dropped it over the edge. They had a struggle over it for some until spotting a friend of theirs.

Scrapper was walking right up to them.

They waited, she leaning over Sonic Boom’s foot with her grip on the sack-pack, him on his back holding Veren away from it. They looked right up at him as he loomed over them.

“What’re y’all doing?”

“He won’t return the sack-pack.”

“Har kist-poga mur kasal.”

“He said, “I wouldn’t let go.’”

“Hey, Mini-Con. Release the strap.”

Sonic Boom does what he is asked and Veren falls backwards onto the road. He sat up curious but quiet swinging his tail slowly behind his head.

“Thank you.” She groans rubbing her head. It was only impulse to rub her helmet, she didn’t hurt her head when she fell.

“Where ya’ll headed?”

“Someplace other than here.”

“Posta.”

Veren smacks the back of his head. “We are not going to Canada.”

“Wherever you two’re going, mind’f I join?”

Veren glances over at Sonic Boom, he shrugs. She turns to Scrapper. “Why?”

He shrugs his mechanical shoulder. “Tah git out.”

Veren taps the nose of her helmet with her fore finger thinking. Was this a good idea? Leaving the base with a Decepticon? She was wild and would try anything twice. She nods to the Decepticon. “Sure, you can drive us.” She tilts her head. “Come to think of it, I don’t know your vehicle mode yet.”

“I’ll show you.” His body reconfigures into a green Mersadiz.

Veren nods in approval. “Excellent.”

“Mur.” Sonic Boom nods as well.

“Where we headed?” He revs his motor turning onto the bridge.

Veren hops onto the hood. “Anywhere with a place for mechanical and human stuff.”

“Your friend had bedder not scratch up mah upholstery.” He growls as he starts down the bridge.

“Don’t worry. He’s a good boy.” She lies back with her arms crossed behind her head.

“If we’re pulled over ‘cause’a you, I’m not speaking to the cop. And I won’t pop my hood either, so you dig yer self outta that hole.”

“We won’t get pulled over.”

“Grrr…snei.”

She turns glaring back at Sonic Boom through the tinted windshield. “You moron.”

“What’d he say?” Scrapper assumed Sonic Boom said something.

“He said he’d convert into a motorcycle while inside you and have me explain that.”

“Not inside me, Mini-Con.”

“Ar, ar, ar!”

Buzzsaw was perched on the edge of the archway when the three took a ride into town. He gives a cry as he takes off, he would like to film their visit. He glides out of range so neither detection nor spotting of his wing would betray him. It wasn’t easy, but then again he was still feeling nervous to the sight of Sonic Boom.

-- -- --

Megatron sat at his throne leaning against a curled knuckle. At his clawed feet, two Mini-Con’s fight the other. This is not entertaining, it never was, it was just distracting. He feels he needs that now after countless battles. He wanted more Mini-Cons. He wanted more energon. More. More. And more.

“Megatron.”

The leader of Decepticons shifts his head from thought patterns to look down at a kneeling Demolishor. He didn’t need to ask the irritating Decepticon to continue. All he needed to do was give him his attention, speak or I’ll destroy you.

“One of the Mini-Con’s searching the catacombs found something.”

Megatron remained silent. This was one of those days where he didn’t feel the little bit of spur to speak with lower life forms.

“It’s an ancient computer chip.”

Now Megatron’s interest was piqued. He raised his head. “An ancient computer chip?”

“Figuratively speaking. It appears to be much older and far behind our own technology. It must have been waiting here for millions of years before it’s discovery.”

“Where is it now?”

“Uh.” A panel on his wrist opens and he produces a piece of hard ware the size of Megatron’s thumb. It looks like a rectangular computer chip. He delicately holds it between two claws as Megatron accepts it.

“Ah, good.” He holds the chip up examining the data from the outside, what years of negligence had done to it. “What is on this piece of hardware?”

He looks up. “I don’t know. I came to you as soon as I got it.”

“Even better.” He stands.

The two Mini-Cons that had been fighting are now exhausted. One still has the other in a death grip limply holding him to the ground.

Megatron steps over them as he walks to the wall across from his throne. Parts from the Mini-Con ships and constructions from Cybertron were used to create a sophisticated computer that held information on energon, the towers, and more than two thousand technical sightings. The problem was getting to the information. That was difficult unless you knew the proper access codes for the exact areas. Megatron just used this machine for asserting a wide range of data.

He inserts the chip into a slot below the rectangular screen and presses a button. Nothing happens. He tries the button again. Still nothing. He becomes frustrated and hits the computer. Surprisingly…nothing. “What is wrong with this confounded piece of smelt?”

“Like I said, the chip is outdated. The computers here may not be able to read—”

“Nonsense!” He snaps back. “There’s nothing older than Mini-Con technology!” He punches the slot he inserted the chip in. The computer sparks from the abuse and a picture flashed on the screen. Megatron stops himself from striking again to see what he’d done.

Demolishor gasped. “What is that?”

“Atlantis?” He stares trying to download the information from his optics before it is gone. He manages a fragment of an under water city and six natural enemies that fought the other long, long ago—but the picture dies. “ARRR!” Megatron strikes his fists to the computer crumpling it further and killing remaining information.

He really needs to control his temper. Demolishor takes this time to back away.

Megatron snarls at the ceiling oblivious that Demolishor had made a safe escape. “This entire sieve is driving me insane!”

One Mini-Con whispers to the other. “I couldn’t tell.”

-- -- --

Everyone involved with the Transformers knew that it was in the Decepticons nature to be ruthless and cruel. They desired power and no experienced Decepticon trusted another unless they knew the other so well they could almost read the others thought processing. They hated all living things, the only pleasure in their life was destruction and serving their lord and master: Megatron. But Decepticon’s could develop feelings and emotions like any other Transformer. They could think about what they were doing and how it would affect them or others. It was only in the last few years that they began discovering this of few ‘special’ cases. Like no one thought about it before. Possibly rescuing Mini-Con’s and the discovery of the human race. Humans were small but had already proven they were fierce. Their emotions protected them and many had perceived this fact already, even Megatron. But no Decepticon really cared how fierce a small creature was. It made their job easier when the human sought them out for a fight and didn’t bother to hide in the shelters.

Scrapper was an old Decepticon, he had seen many battles, he had been wounded many times by many different Autobots. If it were not for Mini-Con’s, he would not be here today. The power of little things had come to fascinate him. As a larger robot he wondered how so much anger and fighting spirit could be contained in a being so small. He was no scientist, he knew the basics for repairing a downed soldier but he didn’t know much after that about his physics or others. The requisite reason why he left Megatron to live in Autobot cities was to better understand small creatures with immense will that pushed them to the extreme. It wasn’t the best decision he ever made, but it beat being repaired after every meeting with his lord and master.

He sat parked beside a curve watching as Veren ate a corndog. Sonic Boom was on her other side drinking a Sprite with much salt added to it. Behind them, people walked back and forth on the sidewalk.

The city was not a very big one, no great events happened here other than the its historical creation, which was as much amazement as this place got. There were large skyscrapers, but numbers were limited. There was an amusement park with rides and fun, but that was closed until summer months.

“Was there a lot of energon on Cybertron a long time ago?”

Scrapper was knocked out of thought by the question. Was it sarcasm? He had to focus on Veren hard to tell, thankfully her helmet rested on her lap. “Well.” He began. “Yeah. But we used a’lot of it for our wars.” His nice Texan voice replied.

She glances over at him,“But there was still energon?”

“Yeap. Why ya ask?”

“I was curious.” All that remained of her corndog was a small stub at the base of the stick. “Because I was wondering how you survived if you needed it so much. Then I remembered the Energon battles and began wondering what would happen if Earth ran out of energon. It sustains life.”

“You have a sun an’soil. Ya’ll won’t run out of energon.”

Sonic Boom glances over at them. “Haroo.” He dashed out into the street when no cars passed and collected all the trash, then dashed back and dumped it into a trash bin.

“What’s with him?”

“He’s a planeteer. Hey, Sonic Boom, the street’s just gonna get dirty again.” She stands and walks over to the trashbin to deposit her corndog skewer then sets her helmet on her head, while Sonic Boom watched. As soon as the helmet was on her head, he gave a quick smack with his fist.

“Ow.” She jumps onto him and the two fall over. They roll over hitting each other with their fists, sliding off the sidewalk into the gutter.

Some humans quickened their pace while Veren and Sonic Boom boxed others stop to watch. Someone took pictures. A car slowed as it passed to see what was going on.

Sonic Boom clamped down on the sleeve to her shoulder and she grabbed one ear, they struggled with the other trying to force someone onto their back. Scrapper gave them both a quick tap on the head with his finger, in human standards that would be someone of equal size walking up and slugging them both. He waited while they seemed too stunned to move to see their reactions. The bystanders watch silent but nervous of the Decepticon in their presence.

“Are you two gonna behave now?”

Veren cradled her head. “Since you put it that way. Ow.”

“Mur.” Sonic Boom tilt his head.

“Is there anything else you want ta git done before we return to Ocean city?” He transforms as he speaks.

She pats the sack-pack on her back. “No, I think we’re ready to go.” She hops onto his hood while Sonic Boom takes the drivers seat.

They left the city and drove down a clear stretch of road. Fields of grass lined the road, farmers cultivated land was still left dirt ridden and dry of life. Spring would be eventual and the fields would fill with cotton, radishes, onions, carrots, corn, anything else humans would use. They were in silence thinking about any mind wandering idea, except Sonic Boom whom kept snapping his jaws while in Scrapper. He was about to expel the Mini-Con when Veren spoke.

“What about the Decepticons working directly for Megatron?”

Snap, snap, snap went Sonic Boom.

“What d’you mean?”

Snap, Snap, Snap.

“I mean, you know. Demolishor, Cyclonus, Offbeat. I heard a few of them were once friends with the Autobots like you.”

Snap, snap, snap.

“Cyclonus and Demolishor. Yeah I remember. They only did it ‘cause they needed’a crutch.” He sighs. “I guess I can’t blame them. Thar just stupid.”

Snap, snap, snap.

“Demolishor is a programmer—” Veren began.

Snap.

“I mean stupid as thay don’t have will to do what they want.” He interrupted her.

Snap, snap, snap.

“He beats his warriors. That’s funny and all, but it’d bother me after a while.”

Snap, snap, snap.

“That’s the way he runs things. Power.”

Snap, snap, snap.

“And you like that?”

Snap, snap, snap.

“Yeah. Especially when yer on the deliver’in end.” He reminds himself he’s talking to a human.

Snap, snap, snap.

Veren lay on her back watching the blue sky and the clouds going by. She sighed. “It’s just the Decepticon way, right? Your heritage?”

Snap, snap, snap.

“Aw, now ya’ll gone and made me home sick!”

snap, snap, snap.

She smiles. “Sorry.”

Snap, snap, snap.

“But the Mini-Con’s that he captures. They don’t like that, right?”

Snap, snap, snap.

“Not all Mini-Con’s are little goody guys. Some’ll deliver you to a Decepticon just cuz he doesn’t like ya. Especially if thar’s profit.”

Snap, snap, snap.

“Yeah, I know. I mean the one’s that don’t have a choice. Not all Mini-Cons want to help the Decepticon’s, and are quite frankly terrified of them. I know; I’m short.”

Scrapper let’s out a laugh. “True. Thay don’t have a choice. Anyone working for Megatron doesn’t have a choice but to do what thar told. Even if it destroys themselves.”

Snap—

“Intense.”

Sonic Boom remained silent.

“That’s the Decepticon way.”

Sonic Boom leans back contemplating. “Hrmm…”

-- -- --

Starscream stood in the throne room just beside a wall a safe distance from Megatron. His arms were crossed across his curved chest that was the front section of a jet. After an amusing morning, something interesting was taking place.

Cyclonus spent much of his time working with Demolishor to repair the damages inflicted to the poor computer by Megatron. Starscream had been there since then watching them work, he had been in silence for over three hours watching them. He could have gone three days but rebuilding some ‘pathetically’ damaged machine was simple work, rewriting a ten-line essay fell in the same category by Decepticon comprehension. Megatron had shooed them out as soon as it was working even before the screen was replaced, the Decepticon leader possibly didn’t detect Starscream near the dark wall.

To Starscream, this meant something very interesting was within his view and he remained silent. His gleaming orange eyes betrayed his presence, but Megatron was so focused on the broken computer screen he wouldn’t turn back.

Megatron accessed a viewing block of downloaded data transmission a mission back, every failed or successful mission was accessed via the screen. He worked silently singling out a few data clips. He replayed one sequence from his own optical bank.

The sequence was of the fight that involved the bus of children. Sonic Boom was paused in the air after chasing Skywarp around, Megatron’s view was a short glance but Sonic Boom was clearly struck by a stray laser and a section of his under arm armor was blown clean off.

Megatron put in another sequence and watched.

It was in the fight underwater. A missile sizzles out from Megatron’s view. One struck Veren’s shoulder while in Sonic Boom’s suit, she spun over in pain, a second missile struck the chest and the foot extended like a dying bird trying to find a perch.

Megatron smirked with satisfaction out of Starscream’s view. He typed in a series of keys.

A second picture appeared overlapping another. The sequence overlapping the other was of Sonic Boom healing after Veren bonded with him, the scene under this was of Veren damaging Sonic Boom with his own blade. A small picture came up in the lower right corner, Leader-one blasting a hole into the larger Mini-Con’s chest.

Megatron stood back examining his puppet pictures. The images replayed themselves over and over, again and again, forever in a world of pain and hurt. “So, this must not be the legendary Grave Digger.” He grins remembering the sin word he spoke. The human’s would repeat it to Optimus Prime and would forever be in a world bewilderment, anticipation of a ticking time bomb ready to go off while the location ran unknown. He was giddy whenever he heard the word ‘Grave Digger.’ It was such an evil word. Unlike his name—million, great, colossal—the term ‘grave digger’ meant to prepare a grave for another, or in some cases to defy the grave of one laid to rest. The term was so old, it held great irony to the point of a dictionary. He stroked his chin considering. “Then again, it was legend he was destroyed millions of years before the Mini-Cons fled from Cybertron.” He narrowed his optics wondering if there was a deeper connection in this hated mess.

It all started with the Mini-Cons discovery upon Earth. That was what first led his men to the planet. Now, he discovered treasures, aside from the slumbering panels of hibernating androids he discovered the planets rich energon along side the already vast resources rich for the pillaging.

Megatron realized he still wanted this Mini-Con with the human too if possible, the weapons it carried held power in a small quantity, and it was vicious. If he liberated it to Decepticon means its power force could be useful against the Autobot’s. Optimus Prime still maintained a fierce superstition of the past horrors and a phobia of rightfully dead slayers returning to seek vengeance, not that he would allow another to take what rightfully his but it was amusing to analyze the Autobot leaders second guessing during conflict. He wondered if Optimus Prime would be stupid enough to withhold his fire on Sonic Boom should they meet from opposite standings, he had been immune to attack thus far. Megatron had received the snap and cut from the vicious raptor but he did not yet know the force the Mini-Con brought when he met his attack to his target.

“Even if it is not the legendary Grave Digger.” Megatron summarized to himself. “It will be idea acquiring for future battles.” It was always better to have an ally than an enemy.

“A legendary Mini-Con?” Starscream saunters up to Megatron, smug that he successfully gathered much desired information from his somewhat nebulous leader while in plain view. He peered up at Megatron, his optics held the quarry.

Megatron glares at him annoyed by the deception.

“I thought they had all been discovered.”

“Apparently not.” He rumbled. “One remains to torture me.”

He turns his head slyly. “But you said this couldn’t be the legendary…what was it? Grave Digger? That he had been destroyed.”

Megatron was relieved he didn’t mention the facts that Sonic Boom had taken damage and fell from his wounds, paused to heal himself. But couldn’t that be an ability of a legend just the same?

He shakes his stout head rumbling calmly. “Due to the bemoan factor that I will inevitably need you in future fields, I will tell you some of what I know.”

“You know?” He posed with a slight tilt. “You mean you are lacking intelligence?” He then turns his head down adding. “But obtained intelligence?”

“From my time with Unicron.” He walks away and Starscream follows. The red Decepticon is eager to learn some juicy information of the Mini-Con who had given him a stronger weapon.

Planet Cybertron
Greg sat at his station in the afternoon on Cybertron. The room held five other scientists going about their work over energon shipments and mineral escorts. Two stood upon a strange hover device looking at information on the large screen while they spoke with a black Autobot and a pink Omnicon, three others worked on computers near Greg going over the information and looking over the screens to the large computer comparing data.

Greg sat at the balcony speaking with intelligence through an unseen audio link. “So, fifty stars are being sent from Magma city to Plains city?” The speaker confirms. “Okay, who’s transporting? Autobots, Omnicons, Decepticons?” He listens to the details. He exhales responding. “You know, sooner or later Primo-Prime is going to wise up that you never let the Decepticons escort energon.” The speaker protests. “Well, whatever.” He sticks a cigarette to his lips reframing from lighting it. “He said give everyone a chance, I’m just relaying orders. Cut me a little slack and I’ll stop nagging.”

“No smoking.” A voice comes.

Greg jumps over his monitor to see who nagged. “WAHH!” He falls backwards taking his chair with him, a loud crash came and Greg lies with a comical look on his face while sprawled across a chair and mouth agape, the cigarette in his nose. “Omegas Supreme.” He groans.

Omegas Supreme had his faceplate right up there when Greg nearly ran his into the translucent visor. “Greg, I am in dire of information.”

Greg stands fixing his chair mumbling to him self. “No, I don’t have candy.”

“Optimus Prime has contacted you, he requires Cybertronian history of past events post my time. Is this true?”

He looks up putting the cigarette back to his lips. “Yeah. I figured it was weird because I just read the stuff, but one of you guys kinda like…lived through it?”

“Indeed.” He nods his massive head.

“Wait. How did you find out Optimus sent me a message.”

“Tech, Skybomb, Road Block, Blindeye, Hauler, Supersede, Tra—”

“Okay, I get it!” He looks flustered. That girl can’t keep a secret. “So, what’s it to you?”

Greg ruffles his spiked hair, “He didn’t say much about it, and it wasn’t urgent or anything. Just an invitation. Why didn’t he just contact you?”

“I have obtained information on Unicron. Perhaps that is not what he requisites.” He leans away taking his enormous orange visor from Greg’s full sight. “I will take immediate leave and travel to planet Earth. Inform the Sights of my absence.”

“Sure. You go on ahead.” Greg watched as he leaves. “Gee, the comforts of living the interrupted by a soap-opera.”

Planet Earth
Sparkplug was on his way to the main control room of Ocean city, located under the tall high crow’s nest. His short yellow legs carried him up the spiral plan with gentle clunk clanks, his bright yellow armor gleamed in the noonday sun like gold. It warmed his little body. He felt slight anticipation toward the thought of Decepticon’s out there claiming more and more Mini-Cons. When he was out on the battlefield, beside Prime, he felt he was doing some real good, trying to stop the Decepticons evil actions. It was better to do something than not try at all. He felt even better about the fact his team was on a winning streak obtaining plate after plate. He hoped it lasted, but it was too soon to celebrate, he supposed.

“Rawwr!”

Sparkplug halt dead in his tacks as Sonic Boom skidded right into his path. He slowly backed away as the larger Mini-Cons stood straight up, a full foot in a half taller than him and certainly denser and better battle equipped. He prayed the Mini-Con wouldn’t see him, however, Sonic Boom jerked his head this and that way as though searching for something. He seemed oblivious to Sparkplug’s presence.

“Look out below!”

Sonic Boom looks up and has the brim of his snout struck by Veren’s heels. He falls back as she sits down rubbing her feet.

“Ow, that hurt.”

“Graar!” He turns to Veren slashing with his claws. She rolled away.

Sparkplug would have spun way to run but was too appalled by the sight of Sonic Boom, his feet ignored his commands.

“Rawrr!”

“Shut up!”

Veren and Sonic Boom go back and forth exchanging their moves. She took her blade from her belt and swung it at Sonic Boom, he brought his blade to bare striking it to hers. They played a swift sword fight that ended with Veren catching his with hers and sending both off to the ground. She didn’t seem to mean the move as she stared where her blade had landed with his. While she was distracted Sonic Boom gave a growl leaping at Veren’s face. She ducks rolling away and stands kicking him across the snout, she spun her body around and leaped again kicking him in the chest. She dashed backwards upon landing when Sonic Boom snarled and charged at her raising the bladed wings on his back high.

Sparkplug backed up seeing the fight would come his way; he prepared to run.

Veren falls onto her back and he leaps up to jump on her, he looks like he means it with his claws spread to smash. She rolls the other way slipping her over shirt off and lays it where Sonic Boom planned to land. His claws sliced through the material as he turned to her opening his maw, he raised a clawed hand and takes a step. She pulls her shirt out from under his scrawny foot and jumps into his chest ramming him back. She takes a double take.

“Hey, duck!”

The yellow Mini-Con looks as though a bomb had gone off. He ducks scrunching up like a Decepticon was about to kick him over the moon. Sonic Boom collapsed to his back giving a groan, he shifts his body to find the best course of standing. Sparkplug remains tense, trembling with hands clasped over his face.

“Are you alright?” She lightly taps Sonic Boom when he doesn’t stand.

He huffs. “Aroo.” He jumps back up, his blade-wings brush Sparkplug’s back and he rolls over putting his arms up defensively. Sonic Boom turns to Sparkplug and offers a hand to help him up. Sparkplug winced as though Sonic Boom were about to strike him.

Veren waited and watched. She had never seen a Mini-Con act this way towards Sonic Boom before. Leader-one had hesitated. She began to wonder if he had fired on her Mini-Con in neglect to Megatron’s orders simply because he was afraid?

Sparkplug stared at Sonic Boom’s exuberant snout and eyes. The yellow eyes he stole. He hated him for that. After a moment of deliberation he realized Sonic Boom wasn’t going to hurt him. Hesitantly he accepted the hand and Sonic Boom gave him an unintentional jerk onto his feet. He hastily backed away from the larger Mini-Con.

This is very unlike Sparkplug. Veren understood Sparkplug was a miniature warrior like Spike and her. He would gladly defend a city from an approaching Decepticon. But to the sight of Sonic Boom he was terrified. If he acts this way around Sonic Boom, how would the other Mini-Cons….

“What’s going on out here?” Optimus stepped out from the doorway of the corridor and looked down at the three expecting an explanation.

“Sorry Prime, I thought Sparkplug would move.” She lowers herself apologetic and ashamed. “We were just fighting.” She turns to Sparkplug. “Sorry little bro.”

Sonic Boom lowered his head bending his ears back and expressing a form of sorrow through his optics. “Gena anak.”

Sparkplug nodded making a slight beep, beep.

Optimus looked down addressing Veren and Sonic Boom. “You two need to be a more careful when you fight. Many of the residents neither enjoy the fighting that comes in day and day out, nor are they as tough as you or Sonic Boom. From now on, take your fighting to the designated chambers or outside the city.”

“What about my training? Spike wants me to get that bracelet off his foot.” She grumbles this staring across at his blue feet.
He rubs the bridge of his nose frustrated. “Avoid the halls and remain outdoors.” He turns to them again. “If you disobey me, I’ll find some new form of punishment. Is that understood?”

“Yes sir. We are very sorry, right Sonic Boom?” She glanced under her arm at him.

He turns his head to look up at Optimus ostensibly remorseful now. He clucks an ‘uh huh.’

Veren took another look at Sparkplug from her helmet, he still appeared shaken. I’ve never seen him so badly spooked. Not even in the shadow of Megatron. But I can’t mistaken this, it looks as though…he’s just seen a Decepticon.

They were silent a moment, until Blaster came out.

“Hey, is somethin’ going down out here?” He shrugged confused.

Veren pivots walking down the spiral path to the bridge. “Sonic Boom.”

He didn’t reply. He turns keeping his ears bent back and followed her.

When they were well out of hearing range Blaster turns to Optimus. “What was that all about?”

Prime just sighed hopelessly.

Blaster turns to him. “Oh, I came to tell you that Omegas Supreme is on his way.”

“What?” He looks to the Autobot surprised. “Omegas Supreme is coming here? Why?”

“Uh—something about audience with you in someone’s place, I was in a hurry….” He puts a finger to his chin looking off.

“Greg?”

He grins. “You know it!”

“Hmm….” He checks Veren’s small figure moving down the bridge with Sonic Boom close behind. “I wonder if he knows something.”

-- -- --

“And you believe this Mini-Con is the legendary one? From the stories?” Starscream is knelt near Megatron’s leg listening intently to a bedtime story his leader was quite fond of.

“After Unicron, I remain open towards power.” He leans back in his throne lulled by the thought.

“Of course.” Starscream’s twisted mind was already deliberating ways to obtain Sonic Boom. He strongly believed in the legend, though he wasn’t quit sure why yet. There was a chance but he didn’t whim it to be so, for all their sake. “But he failed to cooperate when you, his leader, gave him an order.” He gestures with a hand the way of a flirting butterfly.

He seems pleased and comforted by something. “How humoring of you to ask when you hold your own intentions.” He sniggers lightly.

“Hmm?”

-- -- --

Veren walked along the beach in the setting sun drowning in the ocean. The clouds strewn through the sky turned, a crimson orange with the pink background of the sky, the colors turned the twin eyes of the helmet a deep red giving the sockets an appearance of pooling blood. She halts and Sonic Boom stops behind her.

She glanced back. “Sonic Boom?”

“Que?” He lowerd his head to see her.

“We’re partners? Right?”

“Grrr.”

“And you like your fellow Mini-Cons, right?”

“Ree….”

She shifts her footing before continuing. “It’s not like I don’t trust you or anything, but…it bothers me.” She paused. “I know the Autobot’s don’t know a thing about you and…some of them are still clueless to the things they go on about, but….” She stopped again unsure how to ask.

Snap.

“Do you pick on the Mini-Cons when no one’s looking?”

“ARAGH!” He snarled appalled by the question. He dupes his head dangle his clawed fingers together delicately. “Nay no gah faraam….”

“Well, is there something you’re not telling me? About the Decepticons maybe?”

Sonic Boom was silent. He hissed clicking as he changed footing and shifted his tail. He looked anguished. “Grrr…humatro vuo pocess hackard run daga.” He paused thinking. “Mara gorg tuaska plagyles agowa….” He spoke about always protecting Mini-Cons because he desired to, it was the right thing to do for those that couldn’t fight like him. He felt strongly of this and urged he would do absolutely anything in his power to do good.

She smiled behind the helmet. “I believe you Sonic Boom. I’ll always believe and trust you because you are my partner and what kind of partner would I be if I didn’t trust and rely on my partner?” She turns around and walks up to him. She looks up at his snout face. “You and I. We are diffidently partners now, right?”

“Err….” He purred like a motor boat.

“My partner, my ally in battle?”

He shifted his head into a light nod. “Frhh….”

“My friend?”

“Aroo….” To his surprise, she hugs him. “Hrmm….” He waits for an explanation.

“You are.” She confirms.

Hesitantly Sonic Boom hugs her back. “Erruhh….” He placed his chin to he shoulder.

“You’re a good friend.”

His eyes gleam orange with the setting sun. “Herumm….” He feels attentive to something but doesn’t understand why. The hug was something new.

-- -- --

Omegas Supreme entered the central control tower as soon as he arrived, he searched out Optimus Prime which wasn’t a difficult devoir. He announced himself as he strolled across the room to the Autobot leader. “Optimus Prime, I sensed you are deeply fretted by an ominous presence.”

He turns to Omegas. “I am. It’s a Mini-Con I recognize, but its description does not match.”

Omegas looms over Optimus. “What Mini-Con?”

“Megatron called him ‘Grave Digger?’”

“Grave Digger?” He deliberates on this data a moment. “I do not recall a Grave Digger—“ It shot through his systems, the name. “Grave Digger.”

“Do you know him?” Optimus extends a hand as questioning.

“No. But I do recall his past history. I have never seen this Grave Digger before, but other Guardians have. I share their memories. He perished.” Who he directed to was not clear.

Two introductions: Bolt, the prejudice hater and Astrotrain, from a time before the Great War. Sadly, Astrotrain is a smudge of Preceptor and Omegas Supreme so I don't think he's the actual Astrotrain, but I never got a chance to figure it out. Ah well!

20
Omegas Supreme stood outside in the Cybertron city in order to create his own space gate back to Cybertron, his home. The shimmering gate hummed and rippled beckoning him to it, energies wafted from its rim dissipating in the oxygen. He stood on one of the cities main roads that ran through the park area, leaving from this area would dawn him great comfort and ease that Optimus would manage without his protection. Protection against anything dire.

He planted one massive foot forward about to enter the gate when a sound off ward caught his dazed attention. He thought at first it was a Dinobot, but the armor was not right, the face he recognized but couldn’t be sure. The small Mini-Con that had been walking on by was on another section of road headed around the city. It halt its step and turned looking up at Omegas Supreme. He couldn’t help but to stare right back at its snout face.

They gaze intently.

Omegas Supreme felt some form of kindred connection to this raptorcon. It appeared to share the same affinity to him, its tiny yellow eyes gleam. He was sure the little thing was about to attack him. It shifted one foot ready to turn but something out of sight took its attention foremost. It took one last glance at Omegas Supreme before turning to walk away. He didn’t know how to take this. It clearly stood no chance, not only was it small but the firepower it held probably was no blimp compared to his. He shrugged it off and entered the space gate that waited patiently.

-- -- --

Optimus Prime stood in front of the central control towers computer. He leaned over the console with both arms supporting the weight of his hulking form, the powerful hands spread apart on the key pad, his head was down as he reviewed the data Omegas Supreme had given him, some of the data was already held within the matrix, within him only waiting to be reawakened. He wasn’t aware of this yet. He turns his head to a wary beep sound or dial tone. “I’m alright Sparkplug, just thinking.”

The Mini-Con stood beside a computer watching his friend.

Prime leans back relaxing. “I don’t think that Mini-Con is the ‘Grave Digger.’” He assured his small friend. “He just doesn’t match the description.”

“His face is the same.”

“Hmm?” Optimus turns to him. “His face?”

Sparkplug nods. “The face. The same feeling comes over me. To escape.”

“He hasn’t harmed you yet, has he?”

“No.” He spoke low, looking down as though shamed.

“Then how can you be sure?” Not to worry his friend, he adds. “I don’t doubt your word, but it would be unfair to lock him up over a rumor.”

“I know.” He shakes his head. “I just…don’t trust him.”

Optimus takes a deep breath and hummed. The Mini-Cons were spooked by Sonic Boom’s presence, but the big Mini-Con showed nothing but harmless and chirpy, in a strange sense that he loved to match blades with Veren. He remembered Sonic Boom first attacked her but now it was a daily routine. The only one he went after out of pure resentment was Megatron, or any other Decepticon that came with hostile intentions towards his friends. He began considering a possible remedy to this situation he had now found himself.

-- -- --

Veren had been once again successful at losing her friend of Hide and Ditch. She was to seek him out of course but was doing a lousy job at this. She headed straight for the one area that could be counted on when locating Optimus Prime—or in typical cases of avoiding him—inside the central control tower of Ocean city.

She walked right in removing her helmet as a sign she was going to be serious and called out. “Hey, big bro! Got a minute?”

Optimus averts his attention to her a little surprised. “Yes Veren?” In the Transformers nature it was the name one bestowed them self that they would be recognized as. Rather than call ‘Veren’ by her hated real name he called her by the name she introduced to him.

She instantly spotted Sparkplug by the computer. She wanted to speak with Prime alone, exclusively when this involved Mini-Cons such as Sparkplug but turned away. “Oh, wait. I’m sorry, wrong room.” She left via the door replacing the helmet to her head.

Optimus glanced over at Sparkplug. I bet this has something to do with Mini-Cons.

-- -- --

When Ocean city was raised from the depths of the sea the entire area was uncovered to the fresh air. Much had changed since Unicron and multiple attacks on this Cybertron city. The crevice the tereachy glass disappeared into was covered when not in use set at least one yard from the rim of Ocean city’s main platform and high rail side for protection of citizens.

Spike sat on the covered crevice of the dome rim with Hot Shot sitting next to him. Both hold a fishing pole, Hot Shot has one his size.

“No biting?”

“Nope.”

Hot Shot plays with his reel a bit. “Maybe it’s the mining.”

“Maybe it’s the bait.”

“I thought fish ate bread.”

Spike turns to him. “No, pond fish eat bread. When you fish at sea, you gotta use live bait. Live bait doesn’t dissolve off the hook.”

“Maybe I should use you as bait and catch a shark.”

“I’d like to see you try—”

“Hey!” Veren hops from the rail onto the rim. “Uh, Spike, can you help me?”

He looked to her as he reeled his line in. “Err maybe, why?” He frowned. “If you want me to hide you from Sonic Boom again, forget it.”

“Hey Hot Shot, maybe you should use some bait.”

He stares at his small hook. “I think I’ll go get something like a lure.” He stands up and takes a path onto the rail and walks on the road to the city’s center.

“Well, what do you need?” Spike was becoming impatient.

Veren fiddles with her helmet schnozzle. “Ohh…I want you to play distraction.”

“Distraction?”

“Optimus is in a room and I wanna talk to him alone, but lil’ Sparkplug is in there, and I can’t have that.”

“You wanna private talk? Why not just ask him?”

“To inconvenient, senior. You loco.”

He sighed rubbing his hair with his hand. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do.”

“I’ll be waiting outside the room in th ecorridor, okay?”

“Go ahead, I’ll catch up.” He begins putting his reel and pole away.

At the central control room Veren waited patiently in the outer corridor hoping to the dealer of cards no one would enter while she waited for Spike. When he did show up he had High Wire with him. Veren tilts her head at the sight of the Mini-Con. “High Wire?”

He nods generating a beep.

“Watch this guy work, your jaw will drop.” He nods to his companion. “Let’s go.”

High Wire nods back silently and enters the door walking right up to Sparkplug. He obviously says something in their Mini-Con language because the two turn and walk back to the humans.

Once the yellow robot was in the corridor Spike grabs him and so does High Wire. They’re able to gag his mouth but he’s still able to create shrill buzz sounds. Next they tie his arms behind his back and begin to drag him away.

Spike gives Veren a thumbs up. “Go ahead.”

She watched silent as this entire event transpire. “Uh, sure.” She turns entering the room. She can hear Spike and High Wire drag the muffled Mini-Con away but tries to remain stealthy, aware that Prime has not seen or heard the commotion yet. She wanted to take him by surprise.

Actually, Optimus could detect Veren approaching and watched her from the corner of his optic, curios to what she was up to. He might humor her until she called upon his attention voluntarily and pretend to be surprised.

She paused swaying her head as though something didn’t quit apply will, then turned and darted out the door.

After she made her escape Red Alert walked in carrying a clipboard with transparent symbols above the flat plain. “Sir, about these figures….” He stopped when he saw the concerned look on Prime’s face. “Is something wrong?”

He gave his head a shake and turned to the Autobot medic. “Nothing. Now, what were you saying?” He peers over his shoulder at the numbers upon the item.

Veren sat a ways down the hall with her back to the wall. She removed her helmet and was hitting herself with it. “Stuper, stuper, stuper….”

Plains city
Plains city was set in a field of vast grassy hills and rises, like a sea of green whose tide changed when the wind did. It was one of the largest Cybertron cities stationed on Earth, obtaining a steady seam of fresh energon from under the surface and old gold mines long abandoned after the gold rush years and years ago. The gold now mined was still yellow, but worth far more than he heavy metal. A high central tower was at the center of the city with gunny lines leading to and from it three ways, one at the rear. Transformers fly to and from the higher entrance and ground vehicles come and go on a highway at the very base. The city is active due to a fresh mining-up that promised an excellent load of energon to all cities.

Duskbeam stands at the main computer of the city looking over the random information, thermals of the mining and small virtual figurines of Omnicons and Autobots within the passages, coordinates label the status of major figures. His overall coloration is a robin egg blue with a cool gray face, his head extends from the top of a car hood, from his hips extend the wide panels of car doors. His feet are the rear bumpers of the vehicle; it’s safe to say his alternate mode is a car, Dodge Viper. He gives his pale gray cheek a quick tap before turning to a man with a black mullet.

“Optimus might want to send a few more guards over here. We got a nice cash and it might provoke the Decepticon’s into an attack, in case they get a whiff.”

The man, who has one hand in his lab coat pocket nodded to this. He fixes his small glasses with the other hand. “I’ll contact him right away. Is there anything else he needs to know?”

Duskbeam thought a moment shifting his thick weight from one enormous leg to the other. “I guess you can report that a Decepticon was snooping around out there.” He spoke in a considering tone.

“A Decepticon?” He turns back after taking only a few steps away.

“I didn’t recognize him, but he was a Decepticon.”

“That’s where we come to a problem.”

“Huh?” Duskbeam turns back to him.

“Some of the kids snuck out of the city to ride with the Mini-Cons during their break.”

-- -- --

An estimated thirty miles down the road away from Plains city, high hills rose and fell steep and sharp. The grass had been worn away in path lines revealing the dirt and gravel underneath. Motors rev like wild animals and the sound of spinning turbines comes over the cries in excitement and praise. A four-wheeler-strides across the sky from a hill and lands on the path beneath skidding on its rear wheels, it swerves kicking gravel out until it comes to a stop facing the take off point, the dust drifts down around the riders tinted visor.

“Wooh, that was real radical, Bolt!” Another kid wears his motorcycle helmet with a black and gray jump suit, the chest bears the symbol of Earth’s Resources. Nine other riders wear similar suits bearing the same Earth symbol, except Bolt’s. His bore an Autobot symbol and suit was reds and blacks, his helmet the same.

Another in a blue suit sits waiting by the first. “Yeah, and he’s not riding a Mini-Con.”

“Josh and Nightbeat are gonna go next.” One of the teens called.

Bolt wheels his four-wheeler out of the way to give the motorcycle room for flight. Josh performs a back flip and lands nicely on the next bridge of hill.

“Free for all!” A girl in a pink suit yelled as she revved the motor of a go-cart. Five others follow her as she leaps a hill.

A Mini-Con riding his four-wheeler companion waves his arms in cheerful call. He rides off after the kids taking a path up a hill.

Bolt took a look around as the motor of his normal four-wheeler purred under him. The sky was darkening in the morning light grumbling about rain possibly later. It was the monsoon season and rain came once a month. If the rain did start they would remain out here until their break was over then they would return to work wet and soggy. He revved the motor and took a higher jump. When he was in the air, he happened to look across the fields in a direction away from the road. He couldn’t be sure but he thought he saw dark figures moving along, two hovered just above the grass. It would have been easier to identify them if the sun had been out it would have gleamed off their bleached hides. He made a rough landing nearly hitting a bystander Mini-Con.

“Hey, watch where you’re rollin’!”

Bolt ignored him turning on the vehicle the way he saw the forms. “Hey, is there supposed to be a recon group out here?”

-- -- --

Road Block enters the central towers main control room when the twin doors slide open and went right up to Duskbeam. “Hey, those idiots that went awol are now complaining that there’s a recon group out in the field.”

“What?” Duskbeam turned to him surprised. “I didn’t send out a recon team.”

“That’s what I thought.” He points away. “Then it must be the Decepticons.”

Duskbeam turns pressing a button on the control console. “Attention, all warriors report to central tower. We have a Decepticon problem.” He turns to Road Block. “Shall I get some Omnicons?”

“Hurry right back.” He watched as Duskbeam dashed out of the main room. He turns back to watch the screen with its display of stats and mining projects. “They must be after our energon.”

Ocean city
Veren lay flat on her back staring up at the sky, the rim was warm from the beaming sun but the air still felt cool. She was high from the ocean water below but some spray was still guided by the wind and chilled her bare skin and feet. She casually points a hand upward. “And that cloud looks like a horse.”

“So operation ‘distraction,’ didn’t work?” Hot Shot sat a yard away with his feet out near the edge and leaned back supporting himself up with his hands. He was watching the sky as well labeling forms.

He turns his head to her with a slight hiss from the neck joints. “What did you want to talk with Optimus about?”

She groans hoping to avoid the subject.

“I was just asking. If it’s something personal then it’s okay. I won’t bug you about it.” He looked at the clouds again. They littered the sky leisurely like shredded cotton balls.

“It’s not like that it’s uh—” She paused frowning under the helmet. “It’s the fact that everyone’s so freaked out about it. I feel like you guys are trying to pretend there’s nothing wrong when I know something serious is going on. I haven’t even gotten a clear answer as to why.”

He turns to her entirely relating to this situation. “Prime seems to know something, but then again he sometimes seems to have no clue as to what is going on. The problem primarily is the fact, no one recalls a Mini-Con quite like yours. He could be a fluke, like a half breed between Terrorcon and Mini-Con—” He scratched his head. “Come ta think of it, he doesn’t have a powerlinx port anywhere on him.”

Veren sits up looking to him. “Yeah, I just realized that too.”

“That’s really bizarre. Maybe he isn’t a Mini-Con. Maybe he’s something else.” He looks down at the water below as it churns and breaches. “He doesn’t have the Mini-Con symbol on him anywhere—”

“But everyone calls him a Mini-Con and he did come from a stasis panel. I saw it. You can ask Prime too.”

“Man, this is really blowing my cerebral vortex.”

Veren focused off at the horizon annoyed. “Tell me about it. Nothing here makes any sense.”

“Did you ask Sonic Boom, himself?”

“Yeah. But he doesn’t seem to really know.” She slouched. “He might be afraid to tell me, he sometimes acts like that. He does kinda avoid the subject and it’s not really my place to push him.”

“I know.” He leans back searching the sky and tilts his head. “I wonder if Omegas Supreme was able to help Optimus. He came here to talk with him because he was worried. The two share some kind of…weird telepathic link or whatever. It’s kinda like—”

“Cool?”

“No, awesome.”

She nods. “Awesomus.” She looks at Hot Shot. “I heard Omegas was supposed to be really old and wise.”

“He is. If he doesn’t know something then we should just give up now.” Hot Shot remembered the battles he fought with the giant Transformer.

“I should really talk to Prime now, maybe he’ll know something after the visit.” She stands dusting dried salt off her back.

The alarm from Ocean city suddenly called in its low shrill of urgency.

Hot Shot abruptly twists to stand. “That sounds like trouble.”

“I don’t sense a Mini-Con.”

“Sense a Mini-Con, whatever. They’ll need help if there’s trouble.” He leaps a full nine yards from the rim into the road beyond the rail.

Veren managed a measly eight-foot jump to the rail and hops off to follow Hot Shot as he dashed down the road to the spiral inclined plain, dropping down into a car as he went.

-- -- --

Optimus Prime stood in the Axis garage taking roll of his able soldiers present to confront the Decepticons. Blaster was on a trip to Cybertron to visit the temple of the Sights leaving the Autobot team with Cliffjumper, Ratchet, Spike, Preceptor, Hound, Strongarm, and a small collection of willing Mini-Cons. In the central tower he had already been exposed to the information managed by Road Block before it was garbled and lost. The situation was best if foreboding.

The Cybertron cities were locations for the civilian scientists to collaborate with the Cybertronians when combining and enhancing specifications of technology, for the better or necessity of their alien races. Though the cities were heavily armored against invasion there was always the possibility that the stakes would go too high and abandonment was the only option to save lives, while also handing the Decepticons vast amounts of possibilities to further their conquest of the globe. In a moments grasp handing over the Pandoras box was the lesser evil than holding out on ruin.

“Quiet and listen up.” He begins. “Plains city has sent out a distress call, we’ve lost communications with the Autobot team stationed there under Road Block’s command for foreign reasons; however, we are still in communications with the main central tower. They do not know where the main team is.” He shakes his head wondering if it was right to have stationed the young soldier as overseer of the city. While good in his given field he was still inexperienced and lacked the natural leadership qualities that Hot Shot seemed in tune with. Prime had hoped to alter that with his decision in placing Road Block in charge with the general Duskbeam to aid in his transaction to commanding unit. It seemed though that Duskbeam took to the commanding position while Road Block hung back as advisor. “Our number one priority is relocating Road Block and his team by discovering what happened to them. We need to stay alert and assess the situation as soon as it is thrown at us, we will undoubtedly be facing a head on fight to keep the city.”

Strongarm fiddles with a computer near the far wall and pulls up a map of the birds eye view displaying Plains city and the fifty-mile perimeter. He stands back checking the screen. “We’re entering from the outer gates. From there, we can splint up and explore the area. Communications with the main tower say they see no Decepticons.”

“Then they must be outside the city away from the mines.” He turns to his soldiers. “For this mission, I require Hound, Ratchet, Strongarm, Cliffjumper, Spike, High Wire, Grindor, Sparkplug, Dial, and Zephyr. The rest of you remain on stand-by.”

“Yes sir.” They chorus. The team immediately assembles ready to leave.

“Autobots.” His voice boomed. “Tran—”

“Hold on.” Hot Shot runs in with Veren at his heel. “Are we assigned, Optimus?”

He scowled lightly at the sub commander. “Hot Shot, you’re late. Either way, I want you here to head the stand-by crew.”

“Right.”

Veren jumped up and down with her arms behind her back. “Hey, what about me?”

Optimus turned to her. “You, I do need.”

“Cooh.”

“But where is Sonic Boom?” He looked around.

Veren takes a survey as well. She had figured the Mini-Con would have heard the alarm so didn’t bother to call him on her way to the garage. Now she was just annoyed. “That stupid Mini-Con.” She swings her helmet-incased head around suspiciously.

“Gah.”

She turns when he enters. “Sonic Boom!” She runs up to him in joyous greeting…and strikes him across the cheek with the helmet.

He falls down backwards with a cry.

“That’s for making me worried.” As she sets the helmet on her head again, she notices his feet. Is that mud?

Optimus turns walking for the ramp. “Veren, Sonic Boom, file in.” He shifts into his red lined eighteen-wheeler and drives onto the ramp. Spike and Veren were not far behind along with the rest of the Autobot’s.

Plains city
Megatron crushes a small road worn hill under his large three-clawed foot. “Hmm?” He looked over at Starscream, Offbeat, and Demolishor as the three of them excavate the ground by carefully digging. “Where is Ravage?”

Starscream looked up as Demolishor and Offbeat continue. “Ravage?” He questions. “He must be out hunting still.”

“Hunting? He should be here digging!” He stomped over to the digging Decepticon’s fiercely.

Starscream doesn’t bother to rise from his kneeling position beside the small crater taking shape but Offbeat does give a nervous look. “Sir, he’s after humans with Mini-Con’s.” A sly smirk crafts on his face. “Mini-Con’s and some collateral would be nice, eeh?”

“Yes,” Megatron ceased his hostile advancing to Offbeat’s relief. “And with those pathetic Autobot’s taken care of, there will be no one to stop us.” He turns walking away.

Demolishor pauses in his mowing tractor form raising his saw-point-taking-ly. “I guess it’s a good thing we reactivated him.”

“He is a curiously strong Terrorcon, isn’t he?”

-- -- --

During the battle in the field surrounding Plains city, much had transpired. The Autobot team led by Road Block evacuated to stop the Decepticons as soon as they received the call from the ‘road warriors’ of Plains city. Autobot’s Road Block, Duskbeam, Skyblast, Down Shift, and Wing Saber assisted, with them Mini-Con’s Overrun, Shatter, and Abolish. They were confronted by Skywarp and his long time Mini-Con Thunderclash, Cyclonus, and a new Decepticon who called himself Astrotrain and used a bulky Mini-Con he called Slaughter-five. The Autobot’s were ambushed and torn down from lack of experience fighting the Decepticon-Astrotrain-that stood fifty feet tall! But this Autobot team didn’t give up. They were wounded, but not giving up. They wanted to fight even though they were wounded and surrounded by Decepticon’s.

“Aerial visage!” His body switches around combing with armor to create a large space shuttle, he hovers nine feet off the ground intent on running the Autobot’s out of the way.

Optimus Prime careens from nowhere slamming his large fists into the side of Astrotrain’s nose. “Not today!” He doesn’t pause as the shuttle spins he leaps back when right as Cyclonus’ lays fire to the ground.

Hound kneels low to take aim with the gun on his shoulder and pelts a red bolt into Cyclonus’ belly.

“OH!” Stunned his copter blades halt movement and he plummets to his side.

“Get up!” Skywarp snarled as he swooped in.

Astrotrain managed to detangle himself and stand turning to Optimus. “Vexing insect!” He raised a foot.

He leaps out of the way pausing. “Sparkplug powerlinx!” The Mini-Con snaps onto a port behind his left shoulder. He aims his Astro Blaster and fires.

“ARGH!” He grabbed his shoulder when three tons of his armor is blown apart. “That miffed my complexion!” He snarled swatting Optimus aside. Very soon after this, a powerlinxed form of Down Shift and Cliffjumper rammed him from behind.

Down Shift holds up a hand. “Just for old times sake.”

Astrotrain roared as he stands up. “I hate imprudent morons!”

“Grindor powerlinx!” Down Shift and Cliffjumper cry at the together. The gray hover board snapped onto a port on Down Shift’s back, right as Astrotrain brought both massive fists down for the combiner Transformers body. The powerlinxed hails. “Max Fire!”

“URGH!” He shields his head and backs away from the damaging blow of the attack, a section of his chest sparked hindered. “A more forthright advance is de rigueur….”

“No!” Skywarp spins as he dived between Astrotrain and the powerlinxed trio. “Megatron wants us to heel and return!”

“Megatron?”

“Our leader?” He cried, as he ascends for the sky.

Astrotrain takes one glance at the Autobot’s, already bored with the fight. He converted around becoming the shuttle and flies in the direction Megatron was deemed by private transmit.

Skywarp darted through again. “Cyclonus! Stop being a Femme and get up!”

“I’m up, I’m up!” He hopped into the sky snapping an arm behind him in order to use the copter blades attached to his shoulder. “See ya Autobots!” He laughs in his wild, insane tone.

Skywarp soared above them generating a deepening crackle surge. “You may pursue us if you wish, but it will be your human friends whom feel the sting of your actions.” He chuckled cruelly. “If you do not find them then Ravage will.”

“Ravage?” Optimus called worried.

Duskbeam moved towards him. “We can’t let them get away. They’ll be after our base once they get that Hour Glass Mini-Con.”

“We won’t let them.” He turns to Strongarm and Zephyr. “You two, go find the group. Skyblast, if you’re not too badly damaged go with them. You can see from the air.”

“Right sir.” He straightened himself out and prepared for the painful transformation resulting from his wounds.

“The rest of you come with me.” He begins on his way running, converting into the big red cab. The Autobots follow their commander intp battle and to the impending threat of Decepticons.

-- -- --

Meanwhile, where the group of ‘road warriors’ ride for their lives they had done well to stay together to aid if someone should fall behind, it was the most they could do. While in the hill-tuff area the group easily kept out of Ravage’s reach, as he bound over the grassy gnomes growling and snarling as a jaguar. He had slipped more than five times, hit his nose too often to count, and became confused and frustrated when the group went skyward beyond his reach then another would show up, a morbid game of cat and mouse. Finally they were in his area, long stretches of grassy plains no hills in sight. The only thing was the Plain’s city fifteen miles away. He didn’t even need five miles to catch up to them, he could reach them now if he wanted but loved chasing his prey. He loved pursuing soft, frightened humans…especially if they fought back.

“He’s just playing with us!” She knew this when Ravage ceased his wide-stretched desperate lunges.

Bolt growled bracing himself. “You guys get back to the city, it can’t follow you there!”

“What are you doing?” A juvenile in red and blue called.

“Don’t ask stupid questions, just keep going!” He braked just right on the slick grass spinning to face Ravage and accelerated, weaving vigorously without traction. He stood up to lean forward as the vehicles front wheels jumped up under him.

Ravage halted lowering himself to the ground and snarled across at Bolt. “Grawwr!” The nine-foot jaguar raised himself and swept a sharp paw up.

“No way!” Bolt leaped off his four-wheeler just before it smashed into Ravage.

The jaguar rowled out when the vehicle erupted against its black chest.

He landed on the Ravage’s back taking out a small tool. “Wanna be re-wired?”

“Gwarr!” He flung the human from his head with a blitz fast strike by his front paw. He looked up as Bolt skidded across the smooth grass. “Frhhh!”

The kids and Mini-Con’s halt turning back. “Bolt, get up!” Someone from the group cried.

He stood again taking up a piece of pipe from his pour transportation’s carcass. “Here kitty kitty!”

“Grawwr!” He lunged at Bolt biting the pipe. The human slid it from his teeth and struck him across the face. “Grrrhh….” He turns his snout back to the offensive whelp, a shallow dent in his cheek. He shoved him backwards with one strike to his stomach, the wind knocked from him Bolt stumbled down at a rather awkward angle. Ravage leapt up to rip the human’s throat out with one snap of his powerful rock grinding jaws. He would enjoy this.

“Shit!”

“Rawwr!” Sonic Boom intercepted throwing Ravage away from Bolt with one slap from his snout, a nice clang generated from the scrap. He stands forward of Bolt bracing himself and screaming. “RAWWR!”

Bolt sat up alarmed. “WTF?”

Ravage scrambles to his feet lying his body to the ground and turns his maw to Sonic Boom. “Frrrhhh…gwarrr!”

“Sick’em, Sonic Boom!”

With a shriek Ravage leaps…Sonic Boom leaps. They collide in midair and Sonic Boom gains the upper hand by shooting his thrusters shoving the jaguar down to his backside, he continues to roll forward digging his feet into his opponent’s chest and when he is on his back kicks Ravage into the air with a deathblow by his powerful thighs. When Ravage crashed down he lands awkwardly on his shoulder and tumbles to his paws, he stands immediately snarling at Sonic Boom…before he turns and dashes off across the grassy plain.

Sonic Boom raises his head high giving a triumphant roar at his foe retreat!

Veren runs over to him. “Nice move.”

“Eck ar.” He bobs his head.

Spike rides up on High Wire. “You okay Bolt?”

He stands brushing himself off and removes his helmet. “Yeah, I’m fine.” He turns looking at Veren. “Who’s he?” He had one pierced ear on his right lobe, the ring was shiny black.

“She is Veren.” He turns to Bolt. “Nice thinking standing your ground to fight while the others made their way back to Plain’s city.”

“Are you trying to be funny?”

Spike holds his hands up defensively leaning on one foot. “No, no. Just letting you know…they got back safe as sound.”

“They’d better.” He turns away. “It’s not like they’d do the same for me, anyway.”

“Well—”

Skyblast lands right by them in his robotic form. “Boy, you guys are real lucky I found you—” He scanned around. “Where’s Ravage?”

“I took care of him.” Bolt boasted.

“Grr!”

“No, Sonic Boom did.” Veren corrected.

Skyblast looked confused. “What’s a Sonic Boom?”

“The Dinobot—Now, is there something important you have to tell us or shouldn’t you get back to the city?”

He frowns at Bolt. “Your attitude improves every day. But anyway, Optimus needs us, a new Mini-Con has been discovered, or will be if the Decepticon’s get it first which it looks, and I doubt the ‘Cons won’t leave nice and quiet givin’ their location is so near a settlement.” He looked towards the Cybertron city in the distance.

“Fine.” He presses the belt wrapped around his waist. His suit was jagged and sharp, deep red, bold coloring with a blade curved from each arm forward for gauging eyes or Mini-Con ports. His helmet has two short flat horns extended back like ears. He turned to Veren when she was suited up and eyed her up and down before focusing on the stupid helmet she wore. “Spike, I still can’t tell if that’s a she-man or what. Maybe you should have specified if it were a female or not before I made the suit.”

“Careful or I’ll finish what Ravage started.” Behind her Sonic Boom roared to the disrespectful human.

“Enough you two, save it for the ‘Cons.” Skyblast grumbled before checking on Bolt. “You need a transport?” As he spoke he converts to a jet and opens his cockpit. “Get in.”

Bolt looked away holding up a hand casually. “No thanks, I’ll walk.”

This human. He sighed. “Fine. When you get left behind, that’s too bad.” Skyblast takes off sailing high. Sonic Boom leaps up following him into the sky spreading his wing shoulder blades as Veren held her grip by his neck and Spike revs High Wire standing up as he pulls a wheelie and slides over the meadow as though he’s flying, he sped after his comrades cutting the grass between the black wheels of the bike, he easily caught up with Skyblast and Veren.

Bolt dithered to watch them. “Sooner or later I’m going to have to ride in one to get back to Cybertron.” Even if he couldn’t catch up he begins running, he could still make out the jet and raptor flying through the sky. It was beginning to grow darker as the setting sun mixed with the clouds of rain.

-- -- --

The Autobots entered battle with the Decepticons as soon as both groups caught scent of the other. The Autobots had been successful at following Skywarp to the point where Demolishor, Starscream, and Offbeat worked to uncover a Mini-Con.

Megatron had waited as patiently as he could while the three dug in the soft earthy ground for the Mini-Con. Little by little Starscream had ceased to help. Demolishor’s claws where more effective at digging through the soil, the big Decepticon was knelt over the hole pulling clumps of earth and root away laying it either side behind his thighs. Offbeat didn’t take the hint and continued digging and continued to remove the looser soil as it tried to tumble back into the crater. Starscream appointed himself guard in case stray fire came, if it was aimed for Megatron by all means he would just let it go. He kept his blade ready beside him in time he should need it if the stray fire went for him. It saved his life when he heard the whiz of a laser by his ear.

He brought his blade against Road Block. From skyward Astrotrain descended to assist the small group of Decepticons letting Demolishor have the time he needed to dig. The Decepticon’s surrounded the excavation sight and used the spherical formation to thwart attacks by the Autobots. Three of these Autobots had already taken their share of damage and where slower, lower in power than the others.

Though weakened powerlinxed Down Shift and Cliffjumper had the power to take on Astrotrain with Hound and Wing Saber there to assist, and Grindor also combined in their form to boost their lacking energy. Astrotrain seemed to have his power, speed, and build maxed against the three Autobots but had trouble focusing his attacks on one Autobot as they ran about his feet. He was a careful and intelligent Decepticon regardless of his lumbering form he favored accuracy more than brute force. Instead of five-digits on each hand, he had a cylinder wrist from which three sharp claws jutted. They would clasp together forming a powerful cannon while in his shuttle form, though now he plunged them into the ground trying to upset the powerlinx combo of Autobots and Mini-Con. He ignored Hound or Wing Saber as he flew about firing, his focus went to the deadlier threat, despite the jet Autobot landing blows that tore parts of his weaker armor off and sent a stinging sensation through Astrotrain’s spine.

Ratchet would have fought Cyclonus as he ran about taking potshots on random Autobots while unable to get back into the air from the weapon fire streaming every different way, he had to abandon his sphere post to do this. This sadistic Decepticon was like a ‘bot on caffeine and chocolate all at once during a sugar hype, he could not hold still even when ordered to but he did make up for this with his random-erratic surprise attacks. During this Ratchet had no choice but to send fire skyward to Skywarp as he sent fire downward onto the Autobot forces. The jet had easily avoided his fellow warriors, even the hyper Cyclonus but struck the Autobots hard with drop mines. Ratchet hopped to knock him from the sky before one of the injured was put into stasis lock. A prone reason why none of the Autobots could break the superior fire power of the Decepticons even if they had them outnumbered, Skywarp’s precise fire set down between the Autobots and Decepticons kept the guardians of Earth off guard.

Strongarm soon became tired of the persistent firing on random Autobots, he was only thankful Cyclonus had been weakened from his earlier encounter. He was an Omnicon who didn’t like to fight, unlike Skyblast whom enjoyed the fighting, and usually would never be caught in the middle of a war zone, but given a situation he could hold his own. He was pleased that each assault made landed on Cyclonus’ sore tummy. He was grinning whenever the Decepticon cursed and tried to strike him down. Zephyr even offered his help to Strongarm by firing off the pack of rockets on his back at the Decepticon’s right hip and knee. It was rather humorous, even after an hour.

Offbeat took example from Cyclonus’ after he saw the older Decepticon leave his post along with other Decepticons taking up battle points around the perimeter. The crud little Decepticon took on the weakened Autobot Duskbeam, much to his distaste he mentally turned a cheek and took up arms. Offbeat thought he was holding his own while it was Duskbeam who was the injured, low powered one. Regardless of the Autobot’s power levels he was still going to kick Offbeat’s butt.

As ageless as the universe Optimus Prime had the task of taking out Megatron. He was trying to get through the defense of Demolishor and hopefully force them to retreat. The leader Decepticon had taken on his alternate mode, a giant tank scanned from the Lunar Eclipse-01 near the same size as Optimus is tall, if you measured the high cannons mounted at his back. Leader-one stood between the two largest barrels firing the guns on his arms at him. The falling fire from Skywarp did its job against Autobot leader, he had it worse than some. In truth Skywarp was trying to impress Megatron with his strategy of leading the Autobot’s away from the civilians, and to make profits better he would also keep Prime from fighting effectively. All of this conniving made Skywarp a very smug Decepticon.

Two Mini-Cons called Abolish and Shatter fired on Decepticon loyal Mini-Cons behind Starscream, two called Shifter and Rubrix. Rubrix was a pure purple Mini-Con,; he turned back to Demolishor calling something out.

Demolishor looked up from digging, once in a while he was pelted by friendly fire. “What?” He asks.

“The Mini-Con is very near, dig faster.”

“Finally!” He pulled large clumps of fresh soil up. “I was getting’ sick and tired of all this slag!”

Rubrix turned back to resume his attack but sensed something else and turns up. He lets out a cry as Spike kicks him across the chest after taking one leg from High Wire’s side. The human zips past the Decepticon’s legs barely being noticed.

Road Block looked up. “Hey, Skyblast is here!”

The white and red jet transforms falling with momentum behind his drop to slam his fists against Offbeat’s back. When the robot goes limp he lifts him high and throws him aside.

“Thanks, he was getting on my last mesh there.”

Starscream ducks a swing from Road Block. “The humans are here to assist the Autobot’s!” He calls to his leader.

“Then they share the same fate!” He shifted his cannons preparing for an unpredicted shot should someone sneak up on him.

Skywarp paused in the air. “Where’s Ravage then?” He shudders when a powerful blast hits his wing causing him to spin over and sail to the ground. “OHH!” His cracked remains share the same fate as his previous smug emotion.

Ratchet withdraws his pistol. “Finally!”

Starscream managed to get the injured Road Block to the ground with one jaw shattering smash delivered by his toe. As Road Block looked to the Decepticon over him, he was barely able to hold himself up off the ground with his arms behind him. Starscream aimed a Mini-Con rifle at his chest with the other rifles along his arms. He smirks his usually way chuckling. “It was nice knowing you.”

Road Block let a groan escape.

“No, not yet.” Bolt leaps up with little effort applied, up onto Starscream’s head. He pulled a tool from his belt and lifted it high spinning it on his hand. “Wanna try a new system?”

“NOO!” The Decepticon shrieks grabbing for Bolt while jolting forward. Road Block clips Starscream in the stomach and sends him onto his back. Bolt flips gracefully backwards landing just behind the Decepticon.

“Like I care?” Regardless of the nice piece of hard ware in front of him, Bolt jumps to his feet and darts off.

After dispatching of Demolishor with minimal effort Optimus Prime was able to focus his fire on Megatron and managed to knock a side of his armor off in a smoldering crack. He noted that Skywarp’s firing squad had ended and nothing would keep him from attacking Megatron unless a big cannon was aimed on him. He couldn’t take the chance of getting so close unless one or two was taken out, serious damage could be done to him at point blank. What he forgot to calculate was the major fact Megatron could adjust his aim with blinding speed.

Megatron turned his aim with his largest cannon and shot the injured Road Block in the chest. “Ha!” He barks.

“GAH—!” He crashed to his side in complete stasis.

“Road Block!” Prime turns back to Megatron. “That was uncalled for!”

“You were boring me so I sought amusement!” He turns his aim back on Optimus but the Autobot seized him forcing either cannon under an arm and braced himself against the large tank, he began grinding him back across the ground.

Leader-one gave an alarmed cry and began firing across at Optimus’ faceplate. Sparkplug countered this by disconnecting from the powerlinx system to hop onto his friends shoulder and returned fire to the other Mini-Con below.

A loud crack and thundering boom was heard suddenly Veren came up in her Mini-Con suit smashing the powerful legs into Megatron’s front left wheel. He gave a cry transforming throwing Optimus, Leader-one, and Veren to the ground with a quaking bloom! “You little brute!” He snarled hunched over Veren.

This time she did not faint after the attack. This time the Mini-Con hiss-snarled as Veren rolled right back up right like a wild cougar, she dashed away from under Megatron’s arch bounding across the soft grassy plain on four legs. Megatron brought his colossal fist down into the ground right beside her actually missing. He didn’t see Optimus charging, the Autobot grabbed him shoving his chest into Megatron’s shoulder and gripped the rim of the Decepticon’s hip. Optimus nearly stepped on Leader-one as he recovered between Megatron’s feet.

The Mini-Con hopped back and fired on the Autobot’s knees in hopes to cripple him. Sparkplug saw this and dived off Optimus’ shoulder onto his rival. The two minibots topple over in a little skirmish as Megatron and Optimus collide right over them forgetting they were in danger. Optimus and Megatron continue to grapple with his rival seeking to send someone onto his back and potentially leave them self open for a brutal attack. Optimus struck Megatron across the nose and about a thousand sensors sending the Decepticon aback. The Autobot lunges forward.

Veren dashed between Optimus and Megatron’s feet grabbing the oblivious Sparkplug and Leader-one under either arm, she used Sonic Boom’s powerful legs to leap out of the way. In one move, she halts, drops the Mini-Con’s, reels around, and leaps onto the rim of Megatron’s chest using the thrusters to add momentum to the strike. Optimus backs away as Megatron looses his balance and pitches over. The claws of the Mini-Con dig into his dense chest as Veren glares at his face:

“Why do you so desire my Mini-Con?”

He grit his teeth tilting his head away from him. “Human! There is no reason for me to tell you!” With blitz speed he grabs Sonic Boom around the chest and flings him off onto the ground. As the Mini-Con makes a solid thud in the damp soil Megatron takes aim with the cannon on his arm. “I will claim him and that is all you well know!”

Optimus tackled Megatron breaking the cannon clean off with a blow from the right hand. “You’ll claim nothing but defeat so long as I function!” He clamps his left hand on Megatron’s face crushing him while his other grips the splintered mechanics of his right hand with his subsiding him into intense pain.

“S-SLAGGER!” Megatron swings his free arm around with as much leverage as he could manage slamming the gauntlet into the side of Optimus’ vulnerable flank cracking both his arm and the Autobots midportion.

He grunts, his grip slacked when he is stunned and Megatron takes the opportunity to shove him off backwards.

“The Mini-Con! I found the Mini-Con!” Everyone but those fighting Astrotrain—the powerlinxed Down Shift and Cliffjumper with Grindor, Hound, and Wing Saber—turn to Demolishor.

Megatron frowned with a cracked brow. “Return to base…that’s enough for today….” He fades.

“No!” Optimus howled, but he is too late. The Decepticons already follow their leaders’ decision.

Demolishor savors his victory, dolt like holding the plate before him for the Autobots to see. He grinned. “You lose again, Autobots!”

“Not yet.” Veren darted by opening Sonic Boom’s feet, the toes snare the plate just as Demolishor becomes insubstantial. The tip of Sonic Boom’s wing blade leaves a nice slice under his eye.

“ARGH!” He snarled reaching as the human, Mini-Con ascends just out of his reach when he vanished.

Veren sailed on nothing but cold air as she lets herself descend from the sky seeing the Decepticon gone. She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see the gleam from Demolishor’s eyes disappear. “Good job, Sonic Boom.” Her tone was worn.

H responded with a weary moan of. “Gerrummm….”

Veren dropped the plate for anyone to catch and separates from Sonic Boom still high in the air. She drops to the ground gracefully after months of sever training.

Optimus catches the plate as it falls. “Good work, Veren.” He looked at her as she stands.

She turns to him not intending to look at him and acknowledge his praise but merely to join him with the others. Sonic Boom follows her in the same benign tone.

Optimus blocked out the other Autobots as they made their way to speak with him. He watched as Sonic Boom placed his chin on Veren’s shoulder, a sign of sympathy and comfort. He tilt his head. “He can’t be the legendary Grave Digger. It’s impossible. But there’s no mistaking that form, that crest. But the human….”

21
The Autobot’s of Ocean city file off the ramp one by one halting in the garage as they alternate their forms from vehicle to robot. Optimus Prime was the second to last behind Spike, and Veren followed Optimus on her Yamaha.

The other Autobot’s chattered away about the mission and thrilled by one of the few easy victories that were handed to them in any between two or three of Earth years. They were quite amazed at how last minute a save could be and at the same time insulting to Demolishor. The Mini-Cons buzzed around Sparkplug about his rumble with Leader-one. Strongarm laid the news to Hot Shot that Cliffjumper was going to remain at the Plain’s city to help out if the Decepticon’s swooped by again, it had been primarily those two that kept Astrotrain distracted from Optimus Prime but Grindor had returned to remain with his fellow teammates. Spike removed his helmet to share a few laughs with Hound as they crack about Cyclonus and his predicament with Strongarm and Zephyr’s constant attacking to his injury, a nice use of teamwork if ever they saw it. Veren stayed out of the conversations and arguments, Sonic Boom remained her constant woe-sharing companion standing just behind her looking much for anguish.

Eventually the group of warriors began moving out of the garage to get back to their stations where the city work was required, whether technical or muscle bound. They shared more stories and further recollections before turning separate ways outside. Veren was about to do the same and take a path for the elevator when Optimus called her back.

“Can you come with me please? I would like to talk with you alone.” He waited in the garage, the group of Omnicons once stationed there filing out murmuring in soft electrical tones no human could decipher.

She turned and looked up at him in a loss of words, bemused. Optimus looked exactly like the concept of a strong leader standing gigantic, omnipotent, proud. At her gaze he turns and tromps back into the garage they had just exited, by now it would be empty. She turns her head to look at Sonic Boom behind her.

Optimus turned back calling gently. “No-no. Not you Sonic Boom, I want to have a word with Veren. Alone.”

“Ero.” He stops as Veren does bending his ears back. He lowers his head below hers when she turns to him. “Grerrr….”

“It okay Sonic Boom. Stay.” It sounded almost like she was chiding him.

He acts like a dog lowering to the ground and laying his chin on his arms. “Grah.”

She followed Optimus Prime into the garage. He closes the door after she enters by pressing a panel on the wall.

Spike waited till the door closed to speak. He directs to anyone of the Autobots listening. “Wonder what he wants?”

Hot Shot responded. “I think we know.”

The two exchange a glance.

-- -- --

Veren turns to Optimus as he shut the door a little surprised he did close it, she looks up at him. His form was looming and she found herself backing away just a little.

“I know you’ve been trying to get me alone so we could talk.” He was looking down at her.

Some part of her felt ashamed, she lowered her eyes focused across on his feet.

“I know that’s why you let Megatron smite you, or more in the sense something has been perturbing you.”

She backed away a bit more.

Optimus shifts his ton-upon-ton weight with a casual lean contemplating Veren’s position. He supposed her spirit had been hurt somewhat since the fight, the fact that Megatron wanted someone she took as a very close friend was as deep as a death threat. Essentially, that was what this situation had become. She didn’t see it as so yet.

He leans back to ease her emphasis. “What has you so troubled?”

Veren hesitates while gathering her words, she wondered what it was exactly she had needed to hear. Optimus let her. She looked right up at him. “It’s Sonic Boom.” She rubs the back of the curved helmet as though it ailed her. “I wanted to know why the other Mini-Con’s are afraid of him. And…he doesn’t act like them.”

“I see.” He gives a nod, the hydraulics in his neck hissed.

“He doesn’t socialize with them and they don’t try associating with him, and I’m the only one that can understand his ‘strange language’ the others call it. He doesn’t seem to understand why he is different from the others or why they’re frightened of his presence. Whenever a new Mini-Con comes by the base, the others greet him like a long lost brother, which it is. When Sonic Boom gets near them or a group, they back away or leave the room. He behaves pleasantly towards and protects them from their enemies, but they don’t seem to see that. And none of them whisper about him behind our back, I’d know.”

He sighs deeply, as though he understood all of this at once. “I didn’t want you to know this much about Sonic Boom.”

“What do you mean?”

Optimus dithered unsure how to explain or how he should. What history he had taken from Omegas Supreme and added to his own chronology, that and the unknown matrix. It was severely disturbing and slowly it began adding up. A many cluster of vorns had passed since the chronology that had taken place many had forgotten, but for those that sought power and those whom sought to protect power from the seekers. He was almost overwhelmed by it alone if it hadn’t been for the matrix.

“Please, if it has something to do with Sonic Boom I’d like to know.” Veren holds her palms up in request pleading.

He paused remembering ancient battles, wars. He remembers Cybertron before humans and Mini-Cons when it was just Autobots against Decepticons. He remembers the feeling of war then, war before he was, he recollects the data bringing it up, surfacing with it. Then he fast-forwards. Many, many vorns had passed. There he remembers the Mini-Cons again. He turns to her:

“Back on Cybertron many wars were fought with the Autobots placed against the Decepticons. Many Mini-Cons were forced to use their power to fight.” His tone was soft, sympathetic.

“But that was a long time ago.” She said. “Now the Mini-Con’s are an equal fighting unit, like us. But…now you can coordinate your systems with Mini-Cons to enhance power levels while embedded with energon. Right?”

He nods. “Yes, but this was eons before Earth’s solar system was charted. Many vorns before that when Mini-Cons were terrified to be seen, all Transformers wanted to use the power they could unleash. Even Autobots could abuse that power.”

Veren turned her head on its side, a hint of concern and curiosity on the helmet.

“At that time Mini-Cons were to afraid to fight for themselves even if it meant their lives, they would be slaughtered on sight if deemed inferior, many that survived were discriminated against.” He paused, wondering how to word it to tell what should be listened to. “Eventually.” His tone dropped lower. “The Decepticons wanted a Mini-Con that did not fear fighting, that wanted to destroy with as equal callous thirst as they held—maybe more.” He studied the helmet endeavoring to decode the expression through the constant animalistic features. “They discovered only one matching these whims, and through that one they found its powers were…incomprehensible.” Discovering a look almost sick to the he directs to her. “Do you wish me to continue?”

Her head droops but turns to him. “You should.”

Optimus found himself hesitating. He continued after a faint twinge. “Sonic Boom was one of the few Mini-Cons that decided for himself he would fight for Decepticons, in Megatron’s name.” He added quickly. “Because of his keeper.”

“His keeper was a Decepticon?” Veren asked in bafflement. “If he were a real Mini-Con why would he help them? He doesn’t seem the type.” Now she sounded dubious of Sonic Boom’s origin though she continued to convince others of his origins of Earth.

He leans forward partly to drill it in, his body creaked. “If he can do that to a human, just cogitate what he could do for a normal Mini-Con?”

“But….” She was stunned. “He has no powerlinx port.”

“He only obtains a powerlinx port when he bonds to another Mini-Con.” He shakes his head. “But that doesn’t explain it either.”

She looks up. “What?”

“Mini-Cons have powerlinx ports on them which ever is convenient to their alternate form. If a Mini-Con has a powerlinx port on their back, how would Sonic Boom still officiate?”

Veren shrugged, being human she wouldn’t know.

He leans back. “But you see the point?” To her nod he continues. “Why the Decepticons want him back so disparately, for what he can do to a normal Mini-Con. When he bonds he not only enhances the abilities to the Mini-Con, but when he hooks himself to a ordinary Transformer he can increase their strength and abilities tripling them. He can even deliver new abilities and powers. Sonic Boom went as far to print the Decepticon symbol upon his chest thus all would know he was pure power.”

Veren stroked the chin of her helmet looking at the door considering. “That explains why Megatron has a thing for him.” She turns up to him. “But it doesn’t explain why the other Mini-Cons are afraid of him, if it was just the Decepticons using him.”

“It does if you ponder on it. Remember, he wasn’t your Mini-Con vorns ago. He had a different name and a different master.”

Veren looked up realizing she had never asked Sonic Boom’s original name. “Do you know the names?”

He paused trying to recall. He finds it somewhat staticy but obtains what he needs. He directs to her. “Sonic Boom used to be known as Grave Digger Mini-Con, or GD-Con.”

It made sense why Megatron had called the name. It was the name of her Mini-Con. But was he mooted, he said it couldn’t be ‘Grave Digger.’

Optimus went on. “The Decepticon that owned him was one of the most evil and rancorous under Megatron’s direct control. He was called Reaper. Originally he did use a typical Mini-Con and that was the first that I know of to bond with Grave Digger.”

She tried not to squeak but couldn’t help it. She knew the answer from her dreams but tried not to remember them as she often did not after awakening from nightmares but she had to ask. “What…did they…do?”

He gave her another look. “Are you sure?” He knew this time she could say ‘no,’ that she had heard enough to lead her along the terrible fate of her Sonic Boom.

She hesitated but nodded. She didn’t bother to look up this time.

He sighed and went on. “Megatron used to give Reaper direct orders to go forth and destroy and he went forth and destroyed, that he did. Reaper was cruel as he was powerful and often set Grave Digger out to attack Autobot lines in order to distract his enemies with killings while he took his lingering duration assassinating choice Autobots. He was named Reaper from his ill obsession of adorning his frame with the badges of Autobots torn from their still living bodies and reveling in their torment and pain. Many Autobots, Mini-Cons, even his fellow Decepticons met their end by his hands, anyone that moved into the path of his wraith. Legend may exaggerate but it is believed alone he killed at least one Cybertronian a cycle.” He would have gone into detail with Grave Digger Mini-Con but decided it was best if Veren not know all the truth.

“He was…uncontrollable?” She knew the answer but asked anyway.

Optimus replied coldly. “No, he had complete control over himself and his Mini-Cons. He just enjoyed it.” He looks down at Veren and replied in his most sympathetic voice. “That’s why the Mini-Con’s are terrified of Sonic Boom, they remember what he did as Grave Digger. They may not remember what he was but they do remember, instinctively they remember the threat he poses.”

She keeps her head down feeling his gaze on her helm. Her voice is low. “He…did what Reaper…ordered?”

It takes Optimus a moment to nod. “Yes.” He watched wondering what she was brooding on, if this truth had hurt her.

She turns up to Optimus defending. “But Sonic Boom doesn’t act as a killer now, in fact he helped an enemy Mini-Con. He even decided on his own that he wanted to help the Autobots after when he saw the Decepticons taking that school bus. He clearly doesn’t enjoy the way they hurt others. If he enjoyed working for the De-con’s so much, why not return to them now? After the one who ordered Reaper, ordered him to?”

“We know so little about this Mini-Con, his origin is a mystery other than a rumor. It stated that a Decepticon created yours from another Mini-Con, then was destroyed by Reaper and taken as the Decepticon’s minion. But I feel I may have a clue as to why he is helping us at this current moment.”

“Hmm?” She looked up more.

“There’s a legend that states another Transformer was crafted to rival Reaper and in one cycle destroyed him, and it could be probable for after a battle on Cybertron’s moon that took place somewhere near this time Reaper apparently disappeared. No one, absolutely no one, not even Megatron knows what became of the two.”

“How did that help Sonic Boom change?”

“What else could have explained it?” Prime felt he was being a little naïve as he often times was called on for but couldn’t help it. “I postulated headmost he had been destroyed but in reality must have been aboard the Mini-Con ship that brought him to Earth with the other Mini-Cons, an Hour Glass Mini-Con. It could even be the fact he scanned Sparkplug, High Wire, you, and myself. Maybe that affected him somehow on the inside just as his outer appearance.”

“Wait, whatever became of the other Mini-Con? The one who first bonded to Sonic Boom?” It bothered her Prime mentioned Reaper and GD-Con but not the mysterious second Mini-Con.

“I imagine…he shared the same fate as Reaper.”

For a moment she was quiet, silently thinking about her Mini-Con she had grown attached to. She knew he would never harm her let alone another Mini-Con for as long as he could live. He had proven that by protecting her and Leader-one. She quickly summarized her thoughts and stashed them away.

“Your Mini-Con is very powerful and Megatron seeks to violate this. It is a great relief he will be helping us to save not only Mini-Cons but those threatened by the Decepticons ill means. But not all aspire to have themselves saved, some Mini-Cons and even your own do work with the Decepticons and their ways.”

“I know.” She nods. “Thank you Prime, for telling me the truth.” She turns to walk for the door, a switch at her level could open it.

“Veren?” He called.

She glanced over her shoulder. “Sonic Boom doesn’t express any memory to this and I don’t plan on telling him, but I will not treat him any different than how I have been treating him. I know….” She looked down. “It will take time for the other Mini-Cons to forgive his past and I don’t blame them if they don’t, they have that right.” She turned pressing the panel and the large doors slide open.

“Rawwr!” Sonic Boom jumped on Veren holding her down. He took the bandanna around her neck and galloped off in triumph. “Arrooo!”

Veren stood up. “Hey, you nut! Give that back! It’s mine!” She runs off after Sonic Boom keeping a hand attached to the back of her neck.

He calls insults to her over his shoulder as he runs around on four legs, the bandanna a prized fish between his jaws.

Skywarp struck the wall of the inner tunnels of this Aztec temple and slides to the floor in a broken mess. Part of his helmet had been cracked away and with it his body was torn badly from multiple injuries. He leans on his side part way and attempts to look up.

Megatron stood over him eyes blazed in the dim lit tunnel. “You fool! You led the Autobot’s right to us!”

“No, I wasn’t. I…tried to keep the heat off Ravage….”

“Frrhhh….” The Terrorcon looked over at Starscream.

Megatron raised a foot to crush his chest in with his thick weight. “Your mindless behavior cost us not one, but a number of Mini-Cons!” He did not know the exact count, this lack of information aided his fueled rage.

Skywarp gave a cry when a dry spark ruptured, when important power sources snapped under heavy strain.

“And human collateral!” He gripped the Decepticon by the chest near the neck and lifts him easily. “You will be severely punished for your movement!” He throws him down the tunnel at the feet of the Decepticon onlookers—Ravage, Starscream, Cyclonus, Offbeat. He snarled. “Offbeat, put Skywarp under heavy detention!”

The Decepticon looked up from Skywarp to Megatron puzzled. “Uh, could Starscream do it, instead?”

Megatron glared at him exasperated. “Are you trying to be funny?”

Offbeat realizes Megatron would destroy him if he continued to stall. He gripped Skywarp by the shoulder and wrestles his form over his own shoulder. “I’ll get right to it, sir.” His voice was barely audible through his grunt.

The remaining Decepticons part for him and Megatron as the two stride deeper into the ancient temple.

Cyclonus turned to Starscream. “Don’t ya even care?” He had to struggle not to giggle.

“Cyclonus.” Starscream turned to him casually, he held his arms crossed over his chest. “In my experience I have come to understand it is never wise to become attached or involved. It only leads to betrayal.” He checks the giddy grin on Cyclonus’ faceplate. Before he could let the warped Decepticon speak again he pivots and entered the deeper expanse of the temples subterranean maze, a sign he did not want anymore to do with him.

Megatron left Offbeat to deal with the beaten Skywarp while he returned to his throne room. His Mini-Con Leader-one had followed him, as many of the direct-partnered Mini-Cons that chose to work for Decepticons were allowed to. They could roam the base at some leisure while those captured during battle and held no ties in any way or form to the Decepticons were kept in a room that was sealed and under heavy guard by two unformatted Decepticon’s named Spear and Lust.

The Decepticon leader sat at his throne and noticed his Mini-Con approaching him.

The Mini-Con gives him a curios look and a questioning dial tone.

He stomps his foot at the android demanding. “Out of my sight!”

Leader-one scurries away, for a hall that led to disregarded portion of the temple.

Megatron leaned back on his throne sighing. “What I would give for actual warriors.” He grumbled to himself.

Three Mini-Cons from the doorway lean in watching Megatron. They remained very quiet.

Ocean city
Optimus Prime walked down the large halls of the Autobot and Decepticons dorm area. It is unsure if he is headed to or from his own barracks. He had disturbed himself by telling Veren the story behind legendary Grave Digger but felt he had to. She had to know the truth to rethink her chosen partner, and she did call him partner, friend even. He was still roving between skepticism and his optimism for the strange Mini-Con. He knew as long as it sided by the Autobots any potential Decepticon attacks would be fazed, then again, many of the Decepticon’s didn’t know that Grave Digger had returned and along that what it was. He thought of the Autobot’s that didn’t know, just as before.

As predicted Megatron acted out in the opposite behavior, though cautious he desired the power of the Grave Digger. A starving animal is always much more dangerous than the lulled one and Megatron was starving for that which he could not acquire through natural conventionally means of his own abilities. However, would it be long before Sonic Boom decided he made a mistake, he could always rejoin the Decepticons he could easily kill the trusting Veren. He remembered Grave Diggers cunning. Was he planning something now, where they giving him apply time to strike? The truth of all this was Optimus making a very dangerous gamble.

He hindered his movement at once when a loud bam issued followed by a thud of a solid weight to his shoulder. He was partially stunned what from all his remembering and story telling about the Grave Digger, lo and behold, the big Mini-Con had perched upon his shoulder from a brisk leap down beside his great head. He remained motionless pondering what Sonic Boom was planning on. He was surprised when the Mini-Con purred and powerfully nuzzled up to his cheek. It seemed to him the it was hurt by something. Had it heard him while he spoke to Veren? That was impossible the door had been shut….

He leapt off Optimus’ shoulder and walked away quadruped style holding his head low. As he walked away from Optimus, he hoped he was successful in cheering him up a bit. From experience he knew it was easier to cheer an Autobot up rather a Decepticon.

He didn’t bother to look back at Optimus but did swing his head up to view a group of Mini-Con’s. They were in a connecting hall talking to each other about casual things, sharing data. He moved to his two powerful legs and paused watching them a moment. He wondered if he should walk over and see them but he knew the answer to this. As of always they would run away or avoid him, why he didn’t know and didn’t bother to ask because the feeling of terror upon him startled him so. It startled him because it was so pleasing, if that happened again he didn’t know if he would hurt another Mini-Con as he did Leader-one. He reflected upon seeing him on the street after snapping apart of his armor so easily, to halt the blow to his friend. He hadn’t intended to hurt Leader-one, didn’t know he did until he saw the him so lifeless.

Silent Sonic Boom stood stunned. He knew what he was doing but setting an effect in motion forward was very dangerous. If he weren’t careful he would lose everything—his freedom, way, and possibly his only friend. It was simple to devise a plan but to carry one through so fluidly without dilemma was fastidious. It could all be leveled with one toothpick.

(Everyone seems to have bios and stats for the characters of their tales, so here's mine)

Generation Wars…

Autobots:

Optimus Prime— Champion of Cybertron and commander and chief against the force of Decepticons, Optimus Prime is what stands in Megatron’s way, hindering a total conquest of both Cybertron and Earth. He is not only is a symbol of peace and strength among the many, but he is also a symbol of wisdom and compassion that is needed to protect the universe from relentless evil. He has battled Megatron and his forces of Decepticons longer than history can recall, he has fought beside many Autobots, some of which still serve under him to this very day. His strength and compass for others has overwhelmed Megatron’s inculcated sense of superiority and has been the underlining principal of which has maintained the lead in the Cybertronians war. He is admired by the majority of the Autobots, humans, Mini-Cons, and even Decepticons he has had to face mid combat. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that the reason the war has lasted so long without either side conquering is because of the Autobots leader, but it is also this mercy that has allowed the Decepticons forces to continue their champagne.
Many Autobots fear for their leader and others have given their life to defend him from the overwhelming odds of a Decepticon battalion full force. It is this realization that hinders Prime most when pitted against the selfish forces of the Decepticons.

Weapons/ally:
In battle Optimus Prime is aided by his Mini-Con partner and closets friend, Sparkplug. His ally can attach to his left shoulder and boost his power through combat or detach at will in order to gather the attention of an attacking Megatron. Optimus Prime is also armed by a powerful Energon saber capable of halting the swing of Megatron’s Morning Star axe as well as the force of certain Mini-Con combination weapons such as the Star Saber and Requiem Blaster, given that no additional weapon is added. His long-range weapons include plasma bolts in his gauntlets and his powerful Astro Blaster, capable of peeling armor. He is also modified by the recent human innovation laser lacerations, specified for Cybertronian armor.

Unique abilities:
Optimus Prime’s signature spark is able to buffet most traumatic attacks upon his body caused by a superior force, allowing him to sustain heavy amounts of damage and even ‘rising’ from his own wounds to combat Megatron when he is so haggard. His will power alone can maintain his damage while enduring the odds to ensure his own teammates are safe before he collapses. Many cannot comprehend this ability nor understand it (technicians still scratch their heads), with its origin of tap, or where this energy comes from once his body has been depleted of energon. His capability to release his Spark at will, or Spark Release, allows for his body to be used as a shield to stop one tremendous blow. This ability has only been instrument once, leading to the death of Optimus Prime for it is a Kamikaze ability.

Weaknesses:
The near second nature instinct to protect those that cannot fight, such as the civilian humans sometimes hinders his judgment during direct combat with Megatron. His sense of justice and belief in freedom for all sentient, forces him to take heavy the heartache of war, which is taking its toll on the Earth. Years of standing against Megatron who—seems unable to die-and his vision of the Decepticons future conquest with him—have dragged Optimus Prime through a deep depression. Realization has dawned that the war of Transformers may not end until long after Earth is ash and then, what victory would that be? He is not the leader he once was during the beginning of the war but his stout belief that there is still a way maintains a firm foundation as leader of the Autobots that no one questions. He feels the power that once named him Prime dwindling from his infrastructure, which he feels could soon label his demise as his predecessor before him.

-- -- --

Sparkplug— Loyal friend to Optimus Prime and a popular spokesperson to the other Mini-Con robots, Sparkplug knows no word as ‘give up.’ When Optimus tells him to run for the hills he stands by his friend willing to take on even Megatron to ensure the safety of his guardian. To him, Optimus is his inspiration of strength and courage, to Optimus he is the reason the Autobots need to defend the race of Mini-Cons from the Decepticons sadistic forces. His dedication and conviction can often time spur other Mini-Cons recently terrified, to fight for the belief of justice and freedom. It is difficult for many whom remember Sparkplug from his early days, to believe he is partnered with Optimus Prime. Once long ago before the climax of the wars to exile the Mini-Cons robots to Earth, Sparkplug was once a frightened sparkling seeking shelter from the Decepticons hot on his trail. It was only after his time with the Autobot leader in the ensuing wars that he was able to learn how to trust and apply this to the newly awakened Mini-Cons of Earth.

Weapons/ally:
Just as most civilian Mini-Cons, Sparkplug has no actual weapons to protect himself from capture. He is armed with only a basic pistol stored in his shin and relies heavily on his partner to protect him during contest with Megatron. He is however formidable against other Mini-Cons like him and can hold back those allied to Decepticons while his Prime dismantles them before they can pose an actual problem. It has even been viewed Sparkplug swaying enemy Mini-Cons to join with the Autobots, even before confrontation begins. His easiness to relate with others and casual persona puts them to ease while a conflicts begins around them and is a definite plus when it all comes down to the bottom line of it all, whose side the Mini-Con in question is on.

Unique abilities:
During the harshest pit of war, when Sparkplug is linxed to Optimus Prime he is able to contribute with his partners natural ability and boost powers to staggering levels. It is this unique bond between Autobot and Mini-Con that has led to the downfall of many Decepticons groups. When in all it comes down to it there are few who can combat this sort of ‘mental’ barrier, even Megatron has had trouble combating Optimus Prime once he and Sparkplug have been synched. However, Megatron is the only Decepticon to ever survive the unity and attack it directly. This power is a rarity among Mini-Cons and even rarer that the partner would hold a similar tap in which to contribute with.

Weaknesses:
Typically Sparkplug is weak when left on his own, only able to combat human forces and enemy Mini-Cons. He is armed with only a pistol that does a medium amount of damage at best but doesn’t offer much against Leader-one’s quadruple barrel barrage. It is also in view of his unique tap to Optimus Prime’s power that must be cautioned against. The process while enabling the Autobot to hold up longer in battle could also allow irreparable damage to the hosts body, in relation the Mini-Con’s own frame endures heavy strain from the process. If that wasn’t enough, once Optimus Prime is incapable to continue the battle it leaves the drained Sparkplug open to destruction, or worse capture.

22
Bolt yawned tiredly and possibly bored as he walked down the huge hall to the central control room of Plains city. He was one of the few humans stationed here that could operate the computer but he was also part of the warrior team stationed at the city. The team included Road Block, the coordinator; Duskbeam, commander’s advisor; Wing Saber the major muscle, fire power, and air transport; Skyblast their resident Omnicon; and Down Shift with Cliffjumper, a powerlinx team. They were aided by Mini-Cons Night Beat, Shatter, Abolish, and Avowal. He was the only one without a Mini-Con, he refused to use a robot companion even if it had the guts to volunteer.

He folds his arms up behind his head trying to wake himself up, it was currently seven in the morning but he usually slept till noon. Possibly he was still going urged by the battle from the day before. The doors to the central room where usually left open for quick access, unless some illegal activity was going on then they would not close, triggered by a silent alarm. He looked up as he entered. “Huh?” Was all he uttered.

“Bolt!” Greg walked right up to him and gave him a warm hug. He was taller than Bolt, but his sons head still hung over his shoulder wearing a blank expression. “My how you’ve grown!” He forced Bolt to stand back from him with either hand on his shoulder.

Bolt responds in a less than impressed tone. “You’ve been gone for only three months—”

“That long?” He exclaimed wide-eyed.

“What are you doing here?”

He turns away waving one finger in the air as though his visit was of the utmost important event of the week which it wasn’t. “I came here to deliver you a present!” He turns sharply to Bolt.

“A present?”

“Your birthday’s next month and I’m booked!” He turns away letting his head hang downward in a serious matter. “You know I’m visiting Vector, then going to planet Celeste—I won’t be able to visit you.” He was very active during the entire explanation, throwing his arms up, clinching a fist. During these displays Bolt sometimes received a feeling he was mocking the Autobot and Decepticon war, mostly the ‘Cons. He believed there was possible peace, but didn’t understand why Megatron would not let it. He also didn’t understand why a dictator like Hitler was allowed to live.

“And I have no free time weeks after that….” Greg summarized. He turns to Bolt, ashen and drained. “I had to deliver it today!” He groaned. He fell to his face and crawled across the ground towards Bolt, like a mad man dragged through the desert for days neglected of water and girls. Bolt looked around nervously hoping no one saw him with his father. He looked down when Greg grabbed his pants leg.

“Dad!” He hissed. “Get up. Act your age.”

“No!” He gasped.

“God!” He turns to the door sure someone was watching.

Greg was trying to climb up Bolt’s leg as though all the energy had been drained from his body during his vivid explanation. He wheezed. “Bolt! I am your father!”

He tries to shake his father off. Every time he did this he was embarrassed some way in another. “Genetically, yes! Mentally, no!”

“You must ….” He gasped. “Take it…young one….”

“Where is it!” He finally barks looking around the room.

Greg turns to look at the path he took. “Where is it?”

Bolt sighed tired of his father’s relentless childness.

“Oh, there he is.”

He looked up to see. “He?”

“Caw!” Was the cry it emitted as he floated slowly to the floor. He stood a full five feet, his feet where small like a hummingbirds, his wings were long thin blades that folded behind him like the proud mane of a tiger, his head was small and black, spikes jutted from the back of his crown, his eyes gleamed like red coals. He stared at Bolt and Bolt stared at him.

Bolt took a moment to study this creature. He thought it was a Terrorcon but it looked too light framed. It did not seem to have a robot mode, sections of its body contained vibrant patches of red such as it’s face, the Autobot symbol was printed on it’s jet black chest. It stuck this out proudly reminding him of a fierce hawk ready to slay a serpent.

“What… is that?” He finally growled.

“Do you like him?” Greg motioned the hawk thing standing on silver legs, his red and black body gleamed happily.

“No—”

“Aw, come on!”

“Caw.” He responded hopping back from Bolt.

Greg turned to him almost baffled by the retreat. He then exploded toward Bolt. “He’s a little shy!”

“He?” Bolt steps forward. The hawk thing seemed to take more kindly to him, it remained where he stood watching Bolt carefully. “What is it?”

Greg admired the hawk with a hand stroking a chin. “In the excavated ruins under Cybertron we discovered some old Transformer parts. They were useless of course, it had been dead for many eons, but I duplicated the technology to build him. Neat, isn’t he? A prehistoric Transformer just for you!”

“Whatever.”

“Caw.” It had something under its foot. Like a parrot, he lifted his foot delivering a tiny disk to his beak and extended his neck out for Bolt.

He sighed. “What is he trying to give me?”

“His datum disk. You need to install his system into your suit.”

“Why?”

Greg taps his head as though to hear a hollow echo. “Hello, isn’t it obvious. He can do some really neat things when working with you, but the only way you can use him to his full potential is by uploading the data to your suit.”

Bolt took the disk and gave it a look over. He feels a bit guilty that his father had gone to the trouble to make his present but also ticked that it was a Transformer he was supposed to work with. He glanced at the robot hawk. “What’s it’s name?”

Greg caught a breath of relief. “I was hoping you would ask. I called him Laserbeak.”

“Laserbeak?”

“You know, like the bird slash camera Transformer the kids used to use when the Autobot’s first visited Earth?”

He nods to Greg. “Caw!” He spins over bending his wings this way and that until he was flat. He hovered over the ground, a surfboard neglecting waves.

“It’s a hover board?”

“Isn’t he great?” Greg is practically gaga over his creation of human ingenuity and Transformer technology.

“Then why did you give it to me?” Bolt turned flustered and made his way for the door. He slips the disk into his back pocket and stuffs his hands into either pocket by his side.

Laserbeak averted to his hawk form yet again. He looked sad being left alone. “Caw.” He sad in a mournful tone.

Greg exhaled. “I was hoping you could change him.”

He turned to Greg.

“He has always hated Transformers. I have no idea why.” He ruffled his hair. “A long time ago when he was much, much younger, he was in an accident. It…wasn’t intentional, he was actually the reason why my boys alive to this day, he just…he had to save him somehow and there was no other way.” He looked at Laserbeak’s beady red optics. “But even before then I noticed his angry scorn towards our robot friends. I fear the accident broke him in ways that can’t be mended.”

“Caw!” Laserbeak ran fast for something with short legs. He leaned over like a raptor letting his wings slant to either side of his frail body.

Greg shouted after him. “Laserbeak! Come back!”

-- -- --

Bolt blew off some steam by riding his four-wheeler away from the city grounds. He didn’t care at the moment for how much trouble his father went into to build him a personal Transformer partner. He knew in the first place, he hated anything that was more than meets the eye ever since he could remember.

He closed his eyes behind the helmet blocking out the sounds of the motor, the beat of the vehicle against the terrain and the recent scars of war, tried to venture back and remember a time before he was so angry, a time when he was young. The dank scent of icy salt came to his olfactory memory sponge along with the sense of fear and frustration that nurtured his hostile senses towards the robots. He didn’t want anything to do with them, didn’t want to be around them or befriend them. He had been lost for a year to a child’s sense and then he was hurt.

Laserbeak frowned angrily at the four-wheeler Bolt rode. He didn’t like it. He acted out of rage and banked, soaring down. “Caw!” He cried and plunged his sharp beak through the side, his beak snagged a vital wire and he freed it from it’s prison.

“Aw! What was that for?” Bolt cried as he was forced to pull the four-wheeler on it’s side, it had been gutted beyond salvation. He hopped back as Laserbeak screeched angrily again and descended on the vehicles side. He ripped at it’s engine with his powerful beak, snapping wires crunching the spokes, he racked his feet through the hide and looked over at Bolt as if to cover up his ‘bad thing.’

“Get away from that!” Bolt roared as he lunged at the hawk.

Laserbeak took flight, gliding just above Bolt’s head on the thermals of the fine warm day. He watched as Bolt turned the broken machine right side up.

“You totaled it!” He growled assessing the damage. Laserbeak planted a foot on either of his shoulders and perched there. Bolt was amazed by how light the hawk was, a normal human wouldn’t be able to support the weight but this was not heavy enough to force him to his knees. “Get off me!” He waved his arms chasing Laserbeak off. The hawk ascends in the air out of his reach as he looked over his poor vehicle.

“Caw.” He called.

Bolt ripped a piece of metal from the wreckage and throws it at Laserbeak. “Shut up!” It struck the poor Transformers head and he lost control of his motor functions. He fell backwards with a cry hitting the ground, his little legs moved in the air as though he could walk right back to his feet.

Bolt huffed as he moved quickly by Laserbeak. He dropped the disk by his head. “Stupid robot.”

-- -- --

The Decepticon quarters were varied in size depending on whom retrieved the better area to be alone. Starscream obtained a large room for his scientific study, Megatron had seen to that. Beside Starscream’s quarters was Skywarp’s, currently he was still held in detention. Cyclonus had the smallest room where he did nothing but sleep, if he wanted to train or fly about it all had to be done outside. Offbeat barely had a room of his own, Mini-Cons were constant visitors taking refuge from Megatron or the other Decepticons. He could barely scare them away but they would always return regardless of threat. It was insulting. Now Offbeat had to do with a new visitor or get kicked out him self. Ravage had decided to make his home in the smaller Decepticon’s dorm, the Terrorcon lay on Offbeat’s divan with his chin upon his large paws. Demolishor had a roughly well-sized room and shared it with an old computer that he fixed up. Astrotrain remained in the back of the temples in a higher area that could hold his giant construct, still he waited in his alternate form, a space shuttle in purple and gray design.

In Demolishor’s quarters Cyclonus was hanging out while he worked, he threw a small ball against the wall bouncing it back to him in a bored manner. The ball was actually a Mini-Con called Armillion, in his alternate form he could be thrown like a rock or placed into a gun and shot at insane velocities. This did not hurt him rather his dense armor could crack another shell while it provided a defense against any type of explosion or potential hazard such as a rampaging Megatron.

Cyclonus caught the Mini-Con again in his palm and turns to Demolishor. “So, what are ya working on?” He asked.

Demolishor had been through this the entire time, looking at the computer screen and examining different streams of data. He does not bother looking back as he replied in a serious tone. “I checking out some data I received from my spy.”

“A spy?” He nearly shrieks with glee. “You have a spy?”

“I like to keep an eye on our enemies.”

“You sure have changed since the old days,” he giggles tossing the Mini-Con against the wall and bounced him back.

“It’s my new hobby.” He examined data a while before replying back. “I’m gonna give Megatron some of this, he’ll like it.”

Cyclonus paused letting the Mini-Con sphere bounce about the wall and floor. “Getting in good with the boss?”

“Better than Skywarp.”

Cyclonus shrieked out at this laughing.

A corner opposite of the computer Demolishor worked with held a small area, raised where a slab of metal had been laid. That was where he would rest at night once he shut down. A Mini-Con sat here watching Demolishor work. He tilted his head saying something inaudible, possibly mumbling to himself.

Cyclonus glanced at him gaining some control of himself. “Hey.” He says. “Do ya ever miss your old Mini-Con, Blackout?”

“Hmm…sometimes.” He kept working intently. He tried not to think about it.

Maybe I should go back sometime, try and find Crumplezone. Would he recognize me now after all this time? Cyclonus gave actual sane thought to this.

Demolishor gave an irritated sigh. “Just when it was getting good.” He took the tiny information needle from the computer and inserts it into a helm dial on his helmet, an area where, if he was human his left ear would be.

“What?” Cyclonus leaned over to him. “Run out of data?”

“My intelligence only gives me so much.” He grinned.

“Have you seen this…”intelligence?’” He made quotes with his fingers.

Demolishor turns to him. He holds a hand out explaining. “No. But if you recall that package, then you’d already figure he has rented out one of his models to me. Pretty sweet. The thing can infiltrate Autobot bases without them knowing.”

“That is pretty sweet!” He rubbed the palms of his hands together plotting style, but something occurs to him. He turns to Demolishor serious for once. “Hey, have you told Megatron about this?”

He leans over to Cyclonus waving a finger no-no. “I can’t, it’s a surprise.”

“You are getting good with the boss!” He held his sides as he laughs. “I’d bet you’d be commended if you caught that human and his Mini-Con!” He nearly sobbed with laughter.

Demolishor pursed his lips together scratching his chin guard with a claw. He contemplated upon this juicy thought, What if I brought the human and Mini-Con in alive?

Planet Cybertron
On the home of any Transformer at the capital of Iacon where the area of the Mini-Con temples and the Autobot’s labeled the Sights stood outside, solemn and silent in their internal duty to manage guard over the sanctum, while the Mini-Cons move to and from the building freely. One Autobot spoke with a group of Mini-Cons while another kept survey, pausing to look around perceiving beyond the darkness. The sky was black as night would have it, the lamps stationed around the temple camp kept the surrounding area a nice orange blaze, the once amber glaze of the temple was now a gold glow. A human walked from the edge of the dark to have a conversation with a few other robots at the entrance.

No one noticed a pair of gleaming eyes from the roof of a nearby building, a pair of yellow eyes at a perpetual frown.
-- -- --

Inside the main room of the Mini-Cons temple, three regular sized Transformers sat on a risen step talking with some Mini-Cons and another human. Off from this group two more humans were talking. Two Mini-Cons nearest the doors seem to be laughing about something.

Over by a far wall away from the door Tech was visiting Skybomb while he was on guard. Skybomb was laid back against the wall with his arms crossed behind his head, he stared at the ceiling carvings bored beyond words.

“This job is so lame.” He groaned.

Tech standing on a higher step beside him turns to him and smiled. “Well, at least one of us has a job.”

“You and the others keep track of the Mini-Cons.”

She sits down letting her legs dangle to the floor. “It’s so easy, it doesn’t feel like a job.”

“Yeah. Right.” He groaned again. His groan sounded more like the whine of a car motor. He exhales. “It’s so boring.”

“I guess it is, all you do is sit around all day.”

“I heard Prime called some ‘bot for Earth. They got this weird human and Mini-Con and he wants an old guy to visit.” He spoke to try and drive a conversation.

“A new Mini-Con?” She glanced at him.

“Yeah. I heard from Greg that even Omegas went by to check on them.” He shrugged. “I don’t know what’s going on though.”

“Interesting.”

A commotion began outside the door. Two of the Autobots left while Mini-Cons ran into the chamber. A few Mini-Cons followed them out.

“I heard it off of one of Skyblast’s friends.” He tapped his digits to his elbow. “ Maybe it’s just a rumor, I don’t know—”

“Skybomb!” The Autobot remaining in the room dashed up to him holding a large gun up ready for battle, his bright yellow armor gave the quiver as battle ready.

“Really?” He jolted up.

The Autobot frowned at his perky attitude. “Get ready and stay here with the Mini-Cons.” He spun leaving through the door just before they sealed.

Skybomb leans back into the wall. “Aw ‘bot.”

Tech stands and leans over to him. “I wouldn’t be so disappointed. What if they can’t get rid of the intruder?”

“They always manage to get rid of the insane idiot that thinks they can take this temple.”

They turn when a loud explosion roared from the entrance, the door topples inward sending Mini-Cons running. The three remaining a gold silver, and a bronze Mini-Con stand their ground turning to a door as the others run or let loose fire for the dark form. They did nothing.

A scientist ran in with a number of Mini-Cons and went straight to Skybomb. He points back frantically. “I-it’s a Decepticon!”

“No duh!” He takes the blade from between his jet armor and back and raised it making ready to charge. “Tech, stay here.”

“No duh.” She backed away against the wall with the others.

A pure dark gray Decepticon with yellow eyes steps through the door, his armor is smooth and rounded like a pill bug yet very slim and wiry, his head round in shape against his skull, his arms thick and powerful. The upper legs appear thin where they connect to a high thick boot feet, a section of his back was suspended behind his head, chest, and lower section.

He turns to the three Mini-Cons chuckling in a dark tone. “The legendary Star Saber.”

He turns to Skybomb. “Pathetic! I could step on you like a human!” From his back he pulls a mace.

“You won’t get that chance.”

“I don’t have time for this!” He ignored Skybomb turning to the Mini-Cons. “I am late for an appointment.” He reached down to seize them.

Skybomb jumps onto his back, raises his weapon, and buries it between the section of armor and his shoulder. “Leave them alone, I said!”

“Get off me!” He twisted around throwing Skybomb to the wall at the right of the Mini-Cons. Armor is torn from his back, but he doesn’t seem to notice the sparking mass like gushing blood.

“No way!” Skybomb bounced back and lunged for the Decepticon. He issues a shriek when the Decepticon’s mace meets the side of his chest and catapults him into the wall where the others wait.

“Out of the way!” The scientist grabbed Tech and hauls her aside when Skybomb falls, the Mini-Cons dive after him.

“Skybomb!” Tech cried running over beside him.

The small Decepticon took major damage, a large chunk of his chest had been peeled out from the blow and critical wires were exposed to the elements. His eyes were dim indicating he was deep stasis lock.

The scientist frowned. “Forget about him, what about the Mini-Cons?” He cranes his head to track the movement of the invader, his face contorts in fear.

“I’ll destroy this excuse of good material in the name of Megatron!” The Decepticon fired a gun that extended off the section hovering on his back at the ceiling shredding debris to collapse over his hide. He reels around knocking the bronze Mini-Con aside and grabbed the other two, while the poor android recovers he stuffs the two he grabbed into a compartment in his lower left arm. He stiffly snares the last and stuffs it with the others and seals his arm.

Tech has to be restrained by the scientist as she protests. “NO! I won’t let you do this! It’s evil!” She snarled.

He grins at her. “Evil is in the eye of the beholder, bug!” He leaned on his arms lowering his head down. The section of armor on his back reveals itself to be the barrel of a large gun! It gleams at the tip with golden energy.

The Mini-Cons tremble as he charged the cannon. Tech stared in appall just before the scientist grabs her forcing her to the ground commanding her to duck.

The Decepticon laughs wildly as he blows an ark of golden energies into the group, the burnt of power caused the wall to cave in with much of the ceiling. He paused to look up. “Just as well.” He aimed himself up keeping his hands rooted to the floor and charges again to fire and blow the buildings hard plated roof apart and shattering anything else. He leapt surprisingly high onto the rim and crawled out through the higher floors burnishing metal of floor and wall as he went, the effect of his violence crashed down to the lower floors below while the remains toppled in on itself once started.

The Autobot laid down is covered in falling debris until the building stabilizes on its new structure. Many Mini-Cons were buried under the failed construction as well but would survive.

Off by the distant wall as the dust clears the Mini-Cons standing with the scientist and Tech remove the energy shield they put up. They turn to Tech.

“He’s hurt!” She examined Skybomb’s chest. “Severely.”

Three Mini-Cons have some dialogue for a moment. One of them speaks.

“I’ll go.” Jolt changed into a small helicopter and left through the deteriorating crater in the roof.

The scientist watched as the Mini-Con sailed off. He turned to Tech. “He’s going for help.”

She stares at the form of the fallen Autobot at what was once a hall, debris collected around his body but he hadn’t sustained the damage little Skybomb had. “We should begin searching for anyone that’s buried.”

Tech sighed still shaken from the attack. She turns to the Mini-Cons as they follow the scientist to help find their friends. She considers the theft of the three Mini-Cons and looks down at the ruble around her feet, some dust scarred her throat but she was well enough considering the others. “The Star Saber?” She looked at the other Mini-Cons that waited with her.

One shrugs to her. He didn’t know either.

Planet Earth
Ocean city the situation is not as intense nor as peril laid as Cybertron’s Sight’s temple. However, Sonic Boom feels otherwise as he charges down the bridge from Ocean city.

“Rawwr!” He runs from a mad Veren with a look of concern on his face, optics are glinting bright like circles. His wide raptor strides do not deliver him to safety.

Veren has her short legs moving faster than Sonic Boom’s legs, the helmet seems to share her expression of rage, pure wraith with one way to go, forward.

“Sonic Boom!” She snarled. “My bandanna!”

“Yipe, yipe, yipe!” He trips stumbling forward, transformers, wheelies, skids against the rail, falls over, rolls onto his feet as he transforms, his head gets stuck in the motorcycle face, he runs off the edge of the bridge and plummets to the sea below!

She jumps after him feet under her as she glares down. “Sonic Boom! You’re not escaping that easily!” She splashed and sinks under the churning warm salt water. She resurfaces shaking her head and looks around while humming softly to her irritation. The waves rise and fall taking her on a smooth ride. “I’m gonna kill him—”

“Arf!” Sonic Boom emerges five feet in front, the rim of his chest barely above the water. He watched Veren as though ready to snicker.

She glared at him. “Boom.” She paused. “I…am wet—”

He lifts her helmet up and spits water at her face. He grins baring the sharp teeth lining his jaws with water trickling around on his lower jaw.

She stares at him bitter with this action. “I’m going to kill you—”

“Ar!” He slams the helmet down and propels himself backwards. “Roo, roo, roo!” He mocks.

“Boom!” She swims after him only able to keep up.

“Akoo.” The Mini-Con flipped over swimming with only his head and tail above the water. “Gawoo! Gawoo!” He twitched his tail taunting Veren after him. “Hur, hur, hur….” He sneered.

She swam after him with intentions to tear his head off. “Sonic Boom! Come back here!” She wondered how he remained buoyant if he was not using any form of thruster. She surrendered to the idea that his body was hollow and the air kept him aloft. Then she wondered why he didn’t fill with water. Irritated and frustrated, she dove under water within yards of the beach.

Sonic Boom glanced over his shoulder worried. “Que mack rum, rum?” He swam on his back until his feet touched a sand bar and he stood chest deep in the water. He backed away still scanning for Veren as he walked for the shore. The water glazed his chest and dripped from his chin, as a gleaming fish he was very handsome. The waves crashed against his torso as he stepped back for the shore. He grumbled to his self, where could she be? This void of thought bothered him, especially when his feet began stepping into the shallower waves of the shore. He knew her helmet allowed her an extended time under water, but where was she? Confused he decided to step onto the solid sand of the beach and enter the trees of the wooded area to wait.

“Boom!”

He pivots around to see Veren lunge from a wave of water onto him, he managed a shrill bark before she tackled him causing them to topple over to the ground and roll across the sand.

She ceased rolling and so does Sonic Boom, a gap of three feet between the two. “Ahha!” She wrapped the soaked bandanna around her neck.

“Hrm?” Sonic Boom looks down, the side panel of his chest open. He lowers his head uttering a growl as he glared over at Veren and shuts the panel and rolls over to stand a quadruped.

She stands and points a finger right at him. “Ha, ha!”

“Rawwr!” He jumps at her. He tumbles forward when she ducks and grabs his wrists, she leapt off before he rolls into the surf. He hisses standing and turns to look at her, surprised to see her holding his gun.

Veren examines it where she stands checking down the barrel. “This is a really fun gun.”

“Graw! May wrak optare iz castana!”

“My gun now!” She pivoted and runs off along the beach opposite the roads path.

He runs after her on his arms and feet. “Graw! Wrak castana!” He kept crying.

“My gun now!”

He lunged for her giving a cry. She ducked and went rolling over the sand to land on his stomach. He tried to get up but Veren jumped onto his head pressing his snout into the warm gritty sand. She danced off as he rose up and snarled, snapping at her trying to bite. He continued to advance on her as his anger grew and grew while she mocked him every turn, the angrier he became the easier it was for Veren to duck and weave around lashes from his hands and tail, until eventually her agility failed.

She laughed at Sonic Boom when he lunged for her once more in a fit but she fell backwards and lay in the sand as he raised a foot. He brought it down, but Veren rolled out of the way. He tried again to fail as she rolled out from under him. He turned his maw on her roaring.

She stands. “You want it? Take it!” She stuffed the gun broad side between his jaws.

He gave an awkward gulp. When he spotted Veren running away, he took the gun and placed it in the holder that jutted from the curve high on his back and shut it away, gave a snarl, and charged after her. He lunged, reeled around in the sand when she dodged, though she jumped him instead this time.

“Stupid over grown lizard!” She straddled his back putting her legs between his arms and shoulder wing blades; she grabbed each ear and pulled them up.

“ARR!” Sonic Boom started bucking, trying to get her off him. He flipped hitting his back to the sand and rolled over. Veren would not budge. He moved to his four legs and shook head down back, down spine, ending at his tail. She was flung off skidding along the sand. He snarled and lunged for her again landing just before her. She tackled him and the two rolled fighting in an old fashion brawl, though the Mini-Con had to take care he didn’t rip his ally apart in the mess.

They kept fighting like this, becoming saturated in sand from rolling around on the soft, warm, beach of the late noonday sun. The two kept rolling around trying to get the better of the other.

Even when a Decepticon appeared there.

Right in front of them but they took little notice while busy rolling around and wrestling fiercely. Demolishor looked down at them when he noticed their rough play. “What the?” He lifted a foot and stepped back to allow the continued fight. He watches them for a moment. Why are they fighting? He gives his head a shake and frowns at them. “You two are coming with me!” His voice boomed, loud and commanding of little things.

Now they look up at him, Veren with her hands wrapped around Sonic Boom’s neck, he held the gun on his back up with the muzzle pressed to her helmet.

“What’d you say bro?”

“Bro?”

“Bro?” He nearly lost his balance. He regains his composure. “I’m here to catch you for Megatron! Both of you!”

“Arw.”

“He’s here to catch us.” She turned to Sonic Boom to press the muzzle of the helmet to his gun barrel.

“Erh.” He grins slyly putting the gun back into its home. He replies quietly, something in his language and nods his head.

“He is.” She lowered her head considering. “Do you think we stand a chance alone?”

He shakes his head. “Nay aw xaworgu.”

“Then it’s settled!”

“Uh-da-what?”

He turns to her as if smiling, and nods. “Eh goo tr.”

Veren clinched a fist raising it over her head. “Yes! A team battle!”

“Quer ustaha mega, eh!” He does the same while still laying under her.

In this instant of time Demolishor reserved silence until it settled what was going on, and the insult he was labeled under. “You two don’t know what you’re dealing with! Do you?”

She looked up at him as she stands. “Well, you see bro, you’re no threat to us.”

“What?” He yelled.

“Erh.” Sonic Boom nods

“Yeah. See. You’re too big and slow to keep up with my partner and I. You’ll just fall over and get stomped.”

Demolishor grit his teeth itching on the verge to just kill Veren outright and bring the bloody corpse to Megatron. Even if his lord was displeased by this at least he would have had some pleasure of it firsthand.

“Someone like Skywarp,” she began labeling these Decepticons as she looked off rubbing the chin of the helmet. “Cyclonus, Starscream….” She turned to Sonic Boom. “Where is he by the way?”

“Arwa ugh.” He shakes his head shrugging.

Demolishor clinched his claws into his fists, if he had palms they would have been gutted. He swore this human and Mini-Con wouldn’t make it back to Megatron…in one piece at least. “You…little….”

“Even Offbeat! But not you. Too slow, bro.”

“Urma.” Sonic Boom nods.

“You! I’ll show you!” He explodes. The saw that made his vertebra column disconnected to creep around his flank to whirl lasers off on Veren.

Like lightening Sonic Boom grabs her drawing back, the thrusters lower on his back open accelerating him with great speed into the air, he held Veren in front of him as he concentrated his trajectory skyward. He spread his blade shoulders like wings against the sun.

“Come back here!” He snarled firing lasers that extended from under his wrists at them.

Sonic Boom dodges these flipping under and over. Meanwhile Veren pulled the blade from Sonic Boom’s right wing, the energy solidified into the ultra defined weapon “Have fun!” She cracked and sent it down at him. It made an excellent whirl through the air whistling at its target.

“Oh no!” Demolishor dives aside as the blade spun by and took up.

“Wow, I didn’t think he could jump!”

“Moo furrhhh…ugh ganna sarx!”

Demolishor recovers to stand and looks up at Sonic Boom’s soaring form. He raised a hand clinching his claws challenging. “You little bugs! You wouldn’t stand a chance in a fight against me!”

Veren lowered her helmet-encased head as though she heard something that pained her. She glared down at him with her body parallel to Sonic Boom’s gliding form. “Oh, is that a challenge I hearth? Do you really want to fight us?”

Demolishor grinned concealing his optics under the curve of his helmet. “Yeah, why not?” He sneered.

“Alright!”

Sonic Boom howled as he banked and dived for the Decepticon. Demolishor jumped out of the way as he sailed in, he bent his wrists firing on the two as he flew out over the water, bolts striking the water sent plums of salt spray up with a hiss of steam. The Mini-Con spun over and let Veren catch the blade before it could strike the beach, he opened his chest letting her fall within and shut her in safely.

Demolishor hesitated at this. “What was that?” He studied the two as Veren in Mini-Con suit returned.

Veren crossed her arms over Sonic Boom’s chest as she descended to take both blades from his wings and thrust them out either side after Demolishor before crashing to the beach landing with power in the raptor legs. Demolishor did a half cartwheel flip to avoid the weapons, when he landed he held up his saw to thwart another attack of Mini-Con suit assaulter. Veren had retreated back to snare the blades as they returned. Demolishor swung out with his leg to slice the body of Sonic Boom. At this Veren returned one blade to a wing and used the other to put a slit in Demolishor’s shin normal, he gave a cry and retreated but gazed on his opponent with anger. He opened the gun slots on his wrists once more and gave some mauve fire to Veren.

She swung the blade knocking shots headed for her away, with the power of Sonic Boom behind her this was easy as cutting a pie. She leapt forward when a pause came to the rapid fire and zipped up into Demolishor’s chest striking him with the blade, he gave a cry and retreated but Veren was to close. He swatted her down into the sand with one swing. Demolishor stomped over raising his foot. Veren zipped out into his other leg striking it with a sturdy shoulder. He flailed his arms and fell to his back. She jumped onto his chest and raked the claws deep into his armor, wires were exposed crackling in pain.

Demolishor groaned and reached to defend his chest. Veren dashed off before he could touch them. He sat up a little more but this triggered the two into another attack. Veren jumped into him again, slamming the powerful robotic raptor legs into his left chest and whirled around to leap off as he fell back, but struck him across the face with the thick raptor tail. The blow cracked his helmet’s forehead and Demolishor gave a moan as he slipped. The wounds Sonic Boom’s claws inflicted issued pain receptors in a category he failed to recognize.

“N-no…stop….” He groaned.

“I don’t think so.” Veren didn’t pause, that’s the last action when fighting a Decepticon. She spread Sonic Boom’s wing blades and lifted to hover over Demolishor’s midsection. “Show me what you’ve got!” She leaned aiming the guns on the outer of Sonic Boom’s feet with the gun higher up on his back down over her head. She let loose with a fury of plasma until Demolishor’s chest had heavy scorched wounds and deep welds torn out.

She ceased descending from the air and sets down near the poor Decepticon. “Told ya.”

“Greh.”

She separates from Sonic Boom to stand on the soft sand and watched Demolishor curiously as Sonic Boom stood just behind her. She was humored, the fact she tore him up this badly with little effort was as unexpected as his presence on the beach.

He rolled over onto his knees and hands to crawl away. “Ow… my poor body….” He winced as embers spelt from his chest singing seaweed.

Sonic Boom began whimpering to a similar dog tone, or some sort of metallic dog of bird thing with a sore throat.

She glanced at him. “Are you okay?”

“Humm….” He looked at her, nudged her shoulder, and looked at Demolishor pleadingly.

“Well, what do you want?”

“Arw.” He ran over to Demolishor’s side like a lost dog wanting to go home.

Veren was surprised, but mostly confused. She wasn’t quit sure what her friend desired, the thought of him wanting to return with Demolishor came to mind. She quickly shunned out that idea. She shook her head. “Boom! What’s with you?”

Demolishor was a little worried and confused. He was slumped on his one good arm staring at the bickering Mini-Con as though it had lost its mind. He looked back at Veren when she called to it.

Sonic Boom turned back calling to her, “Ack xeon tok mobhaie gastou sesamally! Morook.” He seemed to calm and walked over to her. He looked down at Veren as she looked up at him. “Cean.” He said. “Ptodextro kutrawar marakus maru mec….” He spoke on Veren’s training and how she desired to use her blades as well as he did, and that she wanted to learn how to repair Transformers that were injured during battle. Her friends being hurt had such great impact on him after she so desired to help those she couldn’t.

She stroked the chin of the helmet fascinated. “Ah, I see.” She turns to him. “So, you do remember you were once a Decepticon Mini-Con?”

Veren listened attentive. She liked Sonic Boom’s idea. A lot. She smiled behind the helmet once he finished explaining. “Okay, I’ll do it.” She sounded to exuberant. She walked over to the bemused Demolishor, Mini-Con close behind just in case an event occurred. She leaned over looking up at him. “My friend and I would like to strike a deal.”

“You? A human? A deal? With me?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“Eh.” Sonic Boom cooed.

Demolishor wanted another go at least to catch both Mini-Con and human alive. He didn’t want to move while his wounds stung from the attack of something so little, then again Sonic Boom was a large Mini-Con. He looked across the sea turning his optical lenses to the sky of the sinking sun. He sights his rented warrior, Buzzsaw flying. He looked almost like a seagull from the distance without enhanced vision. He understood why the Terrorcon had such easy sneaking opportunity into the base.

“Well, do ya wanna?”

He averted his gaze to Veren considering carefully. If the human wanted to strike a deal, maybe he could still get them. He nodded, hydraulics through the good portion of his throat hissing. “Sure, what is it you want?”

Veren pointed a finger to him, “I want you as a guinea pig!”

Sonic Boom follows her motion, “Ar ganhar oo nuragr easta!”

“What?” He nearly shouted.

Veren explained. “You’re damaged? Right?”

“I’m not that damaged—”

“Excellent!” She cut him off quick as a whip. “You’re perfect!”

“Eh, gah ruma meck dar, dar!”

“I don’t trust you!” He spat.

Veren didn’t seem to hear him but still she turned to Sonic Boom. “That makes me sad.”

“Ar.” He lowers his head hurt.

“Cheer up.” She pat the side of his cheek.

“Meh.”

She turned back to Demolishor. “Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!” She clapped her hands together pleading.

“Ar oo! Ar oo!” Sonic Boom does the same.

“What’s in it for me?” He knew it was a mistake to ask.

“You’ll get a free repair! And you won’t look so pathetic when you return to your city, secret base, or whatever!” She had to stop herself from snickering.

Demolishor knew it was a mistake to ask. He regretted it. He frowned. “Alright, I’ll…let you do whatever…repairs…just don’t reprogram me, or else I’ll… tear you in two.”

She nodded. “Fair enough, but I feel you can trust Sonic Boom and I.” She grabbed her Mini-Con by the neck. “Don’t screw with him or I’ll tear your head off.”

He gulped and nodded. “Geh ar.”

“Good.” She returned to Demolishor motioning with her hands. “I imagine you should lie down.”

“If someone sees this, I’ll tear you in two anyway.” He does as she asked.

“Fair enough.” When he lies down she hops onto his arm and steps onto his chest. “Geez, we really did a number on you.”

He leaned up a bit. “Shut up and do what you need to!” At the least of his failed mission he didn’t need to return appearing as a smoking heap. He would get detention for disobeying orders and going off base without permission and he did not want detention again.

“Just relax.” She turns to Sonic Boom as he stands beside her. “Will you guide me through this?”

“Eh.” The gun port on his back opens and the side of the gun slides up. He reached over his shoulder and took an extension from the rifle side. It was a small slender object with dials on its sides, which he hands over to Veren.

She finds it light and near the specifications of a small gun. “Is this something to weld things?” That was a logical answer. She was right.

“I think I get it.” She kneeled over to begin the repairs, from her mind she gathered information that should have not been there slowly drifting to her only needing guidance. She rearranges some wires, adjusts the small instrument, and begins work.

Sonic Boom carefully monitors her, he constantly points out different locations making comments in the language only she understood.

At one point Demolishor leans up again. “Do you honestly know what you’re doing?”

She nodded but does not respond right away while immersed in the work and trying to remember everything Sonic Boom tells her, on the side. “Yeah, your bodies kind of like a humans.”

“I was worrying you were uncomfortable. I’m thankful you’re volunteering.”

He stares at the sky as it turns a darker shade of blue. I’m on my back with a human undoing the damage he’s done. I pray no other Decepticon, or that Buzzsaw sees this. I will never live down this humiliation. He thought to himself as Veren continued working.

Demolishor realized that his arm had lost sensation during the fight but now his fingertips tingled from connections returned.

Veren stepped back welding with the little tool. She closed smaller sections of Demolishor’s chest with the small device. She pauses on one knee to concentrate her work into a separate area.

The sparks of joining metal and armor rise, not alarming to a metal being as Demolishor. Much of the burning in his chest had subsided, his systems were beginning to respond to the constructive work but his soul would remain ill from the whole occurrence.

Finally Veren hopped off stepping back with Mini-Con after her. “How does that feel to you, better?” She handed over the welding took to Sonic Boom.

Demolishor sat up pausing to glance at her, he flexed his arm moving the deadly claws. “Not really. I feel like I did before I was gutted by your rabid Mini-Con.”

“Grarr!” He hissed.

Veren crossed her hands behind her back “Well, gee! I only did you a favor by my friend’s request. Remember, you came here looking for a fight.”

He stood up and loomed over the human and Mini-Con. “I came here for you and that Mini-Con.”

She waved him away with a hand. “Go on with you, you don’t want us beating you again now do you?”

“Humph.” He disappeared. All he left where a few stray wires, some shavings of metal, and his footprints.

Veren grinned behind her helmet. “That was fun.”

“Graw meck to diga rub.” Sonic Boom bared his teeth.

“I hope Megatron sends more Decepticon’s for us to bash.” She paused considering and adds after poking her helmet’s temple. “Only…one at a time, right?”

“Un—” He nods. “Eh! Eh, eh, eh!”

“I thought so.” She turned around.

“Anganoo!” Sonic Boom converted to his motorcycle form and Veren hopped onto the seat.

“Hey, did you notice we weren’t hurt in any way during that skirmish?”

“Geh!”

She pulled a wheelie letting Sonic Boom slide forward. He moved like a motorcycle, like he was nothing but one. “Let’s get back before we’re missed. I don’t want anyone seeing this place a mess.”

He replied to this in his usual tone as he sped on down the beach.

The air was beginning to cool but the sand was still radiating from the sun of day before. It felt good on his belly as he drove down the beach. He felt a little better now as well. He had made a small push for his friends benefit. Working close to the Decepticon would aid her later in her work if he hoped to help the Autobot’s to the bitter end of his ways, but he couldn’t dwell on that now at this time. The salt spray from the breaching waves splattered his side. He could see the winking lights of Ocean cities buildings. Nighttime was on its way and inhabitants prepared for it. However, nighttime meant monster time. Very, big, scary monsters. Sonic Boom shuddered with his motor, he could not wait but he eased himself. Time was short for humans and he felt Veren was one of the few that knew this very well.

-- -- --

A jungle somewhere near the old Jungle city held fascinations as a waterfall cascaded sheets of water to the churning pool below, a fifty-foot drop. The liquid was pure blue as the rocks it cascaded from were drenched in calcite and moss, brown and at the same time gray or black. Around the churning of the water were many large rocks that could dash ones brains easily as a Decepticon could, less effort required. The area around the river leading from the falls was vibrant green, lush with life. The plants looked as though they were bleeding their own protoplast fluids. Red and pinks flowers dotted the trees elegantly. A line of moss slopped from the falls, where the moss died, short grass began.

Bolt stared down at the churning pool. This was his favorite place in the world. At one point he had worked in the Aztec city. That was before the Decepticon’s destroyed it. He hated them as much as he hated the Autobots and Mini-Cons. He closed his eyes burned, the Transformers always destroyed the things he held dear. He could feel the soft mist of water droplets against his face as the wind kissed him, his body did not feel it while he wore his suit.

“Caw.” Laserbeak stood behind Bolt demanding attention. He had followed Bolt and the human knew that. He knew Laserbeak had been standing behind him for a good while but he had no weapon in which to dispatch the robotic hawk with.

He stepped along the fall to take his usual path that descended beside the gushing water. Laserbeak hopped after him to follow. Bolt spun around growling at him waving his arms.

“Go away! Stop following me!”

Laserbeak hopped back a little surprised but when he saw Bolt descending, he decided to follow.

“Stop following me you stupid canary!” Bolt growled with little effort. He didn’t bother turning back looking at Laserbeak. He was currently looking for a rock to smash him with.

Laserbeak suddenly became alarmed. “Caw! Caw, caw!” He hopped up at the edge leaning over to look down at him.

“Shut up!” He threw a rock at Laserbeak hitting the poor hawk again. He gave a cry falling onto his side. “That’ll teach you.” He twists to descend. He made sure his footing was firm, the rocks were slippery and a false move could be a last to the untrained. He made this trek before, his footprints in the moss barely visible from a month ago. The cascades howl was fierce to the point where he could barely hear his own breath. A gritty rock gave him a faint start when he thought it shifted, but it was firm. He stepped down for the next rock…then realized it was loose.

He was falling. He miscalculated his weight and gasped, when he thought he had exchanged weight from one foot to the other and his leg gave out from under him. Everything was a blur until something snatched him from behind, his head jerked and he uttered a shrill squeak. He strained his head to see who saved him.

“A little boy like you shouldn’t be wandering around alone.” Cyclonus had seen Bolt. He stalked him carefully until he fell. The moment was to good to pass up. He had to intervene only to have the human abruptly crushed after wards. He hovered just beyond the falls, one arm bent at his back to maintain his loft with the copter blades behind him, whirling gently in the breeze.

Cyclonus frowned on this response distastefully. He clutched Bolt on in his hand while the other hand raised up slowly in motive to crush the head and torso, a sure way of killing a human. “I’ll relate to the others how you pleaded for mercy.”

He was speechless. He had no idea a Decepticon had followed him, his suit should have detected a warp gate of any kind. He suspected Cyclonus had just been lucky. Long ago Cyclonus had learned to restrain him before mocking, though he still had his methods of escape for nearly any situation he still needed a moment to get his dagger free then he could escape to the water below. Given that Cyclonus didn’t shoot him with a while he fell.

Laserbeak emitted a high pitched shriek as he performed an ancient technique, and streaked by Cyclonus’ optic nipping it.

“OH!” He threw his hands over his face, flinging Bolt away carelessly. “You! What was that?”

Bolt was again in a blur to his vision. He felt his body falling but this time was ready. He caught sight of the trees and controlled his movement by jerking himself to rectify preparing to land in the branches of a great tree. He felt himself jerked again but expected less hostile forces. He looked up at Laserbeak’s chin.

He cried banking around.

Bolt was pissed at Cyclonus and strained a backwards glance for the Decepticon as he recovered. “Laserbeak! Turn and attack!”

“Caw!” Already anticipating Bolt’s command he had begun to bank back. When he saw Cyclonus he knew immediately he must attack. A gun was located on his forehead between his eyes. He fired plasma at Cyclonus.

“Ow! You little vulture!” He sniggered pelting his much larger guns located on his torso. Missiles streaked to splatter both human and small Transformer.

Bolt covered his face. He hadn’t expected a fight thus given the day had neglected a helmet to avoid interruption from rare calls. He had a bad start and knew it was time to make a retreat while able. “Damn it, Laserbeak! Get us out of here!”

“Caw!” He replied flying straight up.

“You won’t escape that easily!” Cyclonus folded his body up the rest of the way around his arm and made an impossible helicopter maneuver, he flew straight up at a ninety-degree angle for his designated targets. He laughed wildly.

Laserbeak’s eyes flared. Above his head his personal spacebridge appeared. He streaked right into it disappearing through the blue energy, it vaporized right on his tail.

To his utmost aggravation Cyclonus found his prey gone, he continued upwards until he leveled out. He took a quick sweep of the area forgetting that Megatron forbidden him from even flying at all and here he was above the tree canopy. Currently, he was much higher than safe standards. “Oh slag, and right when I was havin’ some fun!” He descended still unaware a rule had been broken. “I hope Megatron doesn’t find out I let a human get away.”

23
Spike stood on the bridge that ran over the small park for the scientist’s. Under the bridge ran a section of grass and part of the blue pond. He stared down at his reflection in the water, lost in his thought and news of what had surfaced from Cybertrons Sights Temples. The sky was unusually cloudy that day; rain was not expected though. A slight chill was in the air, within the breeze; the season tried so hard to change from winter to spring.

Hot Shot sat leaning part way on the bridge, he watched the rail near the edge of Ocean city. Seagulls attempted to land but driven away by swift moving scientist that traveled on the road. He couldn’t quit place the scene, but it was very familiar to him. He had heard from Optimus Prime what was underway and felt he should say something.

“I heard they struck down all the Sights, and Skybomb.”

“And Skybomb?” Spike had laid his chin on his clasped hands, he nodded with his lower jaw. “It was a Decepticon.”

“We’ll get the Mini-Cons back.” He assured though doubtful himself.

Spike watched a fish in the pond feed on the rim of the water. “They don’t even know which Decepticon. He might just be looking for some extra energon.”

Hot Shot rests his hands behind his head. “If he’s looking for energon he’ll get a bumper load from Megatron. Either that, or a bumper load of hurt.”

“Heh.” He slid his forehead to his clasped hands and looked up from beneath the arch they made.

“I’m kinda hoping…kinda dreading if Megatron does get them.” He looked up to try and locate what held Spike’s fascination.

He turns to Hot Shot instead. “Hoping?”

“If Megatron gets the Mini-Con team he’ll use them. We’ll get them then.”

“Right.” Spike dreaded Megatron receiving them but after the briefing he doubted he would not want Megatron to obtain them, in some way though doubtful he was. He knew in his gut a Decepticon would drool over this opportunity and since he fought the Sights so easily, he could forget the selling property to Megatron idea and keep them for his own use. He was wondering what their plan was and how it would affect the Autobot team. No good would come from it. That was a strong feeling.

-- -- --

“There. You’re finished.” Starscream stepped away from Demolishor as the repaired Decepticon sat up on his table. He turned away to log the injuries and repairs into his computer, this would later aid him when he sent orders for more materials back to Cybertron.

Demolishor sat up scratching the finely repaired metal. “Nice job—”

“Try not to touch your wound.” He turned back to Demolishor shaking his head. “Your claws will undo all that work.”

He grunts at this and slides off the table, he walks over to Starscream straining on the screen he viewed. “What are you working on now?”

“What do you care?” He glowered over his shoulder at Demolishor.

The Decepticon takes a hint and backs away. “Right, fine.” Before he can step out of the makeshift repair bay, Starscream calls him back.

He looks at Demolishor quizzically. “Tell me, what did you get in a scrape with?”

Demolishor held his voice. He did not want to tell Starscream the truth it was embarrassing. He clinched his claws near his own gray face catching Starscream’s careful attention well enough.

“It must have done a number on your pride.” He tilted his head amused.

“None of your business!” He snarled before storming out.

Starscream waits with his poker face until the door shuts. When Demolishor is well out of range he turns to the table with a pair of tweezers and carefully picks a shard of metal from the table beside some of Demolishor’s damaged wires. He quotes: “‘I’m making it my business.’” He turned to his microscope at the edge of the table.

The leader of Decepticons glared on his none formal warrior. “What is it?”

He shrugged. “Dunno. Demolishor gave it to me and said to give it to you.” He kneeled in respect and hands Megatron the disk.

He examined it carefully. “New data?”

“Uh huh.” He nodded holding his head low.

“Put it into the computer.” He gave the disk to Cyclonus and waits as the giggling Decepticon inserts it into the functioning computer. The data Megatron witnessed harbored on the disk caused him to perk noticeably as he stands, his optics burning with the cruel deceit that made him the leader he was and still is. “Ah, the information I wanted on the Autobot’s pathetic Ocean city.” He stood in front of the computer to examine the data himself. “You may go now, Cyclonus.” He shoos him off with a casual hand.

“Uh, sure.” Glumly he turns leaving via the door he entered from.

Megatron found data on many of the Autobots drills, escape routs, emergency, the drills for pedestrian citizens, other Transformers working for Ocean city, visuals on the infamous Veren and Sonic Boom, and most importantly a list of individuals to make audience with Prime and the dates with times. He tapped in a series of keys looking for information he desperately needed.

“I need a crutch.” He grumbled. “A way to get to the Autobot’s.” He pushed a button initiating retrieval on data.

The computer gives him visuals of still frames—Autobots with Mini-Con friends, scientist playing with families, Spike in view with Optimus Prime. All that sickened Megatron to his core present, vital kindling to any fire wrought of destruction and useless as ash.

He smashed his fist on the console. “Not good enough. I need something solid. Something to blitzkrieg them.” As though him yelling at the computer would bring the data right to him. He continued with searching the files determined to locate this edge. He was frustrated by his warriors failed attempts, and by his own.

He leaned back when he caught sight of one image he abouty overlooked. He drew it back on slide and viewed it again, after a moment a malevolent smile came. “Of course, why didn’t I see this before?” He studied the image of Sonic Boom hugging Veren. He understood this human custom as a sign of affection. Here it meant Veren’s doom. “The human. It will follow humans anywhere now.” His dank optics gleam with an evil twinge as his malicious mind develops any new hope for his cruel nature.

-- -- --

Outside among the cover of green Ravage hunted through the foliage of the ancient forest. He had no idea this wonderful place had nearly been destroyed years ago by Decepticon threat. He didn’t care for the colorful birds, the green lush plants. What he cared for was the cover. His dull gray and white hide blended well with the shadow patterns of the forest.

The area he hunted in would have been perfect, had there been energon. He searched up and down the wide space and covered forests but detected no energon. He was bitter with the Decepticons for mining it, the prime reason why he had been dormant. His kind had mined for the Decepticons until they collapsed one by one, he had been no different. Except he would be reactivated in time later while others were striped of their bodies for weapons, destroyed. He did not care. That was one less rival. No one to bother him except Megatron. If another Decepticon yelled at him—other than Astrotrain—he decided he would bite them.

He found himself stalking a rather brightly colored human with loud, explosive clothing, a tourist herding no doubt. He didn’t plan to leap out or snatch the human up to take him to Megatron. He just wanted to stalk the plump being for as long as he could put up with it.

The human was on a hiking trail set around the Aztec temples, his hair gray, kaki shorts, and a camera strewn around his neck in its pouch still in typical style.

Ravage lowered his body pressing himself against the cool damp ground. He lay his head low on level with his body, his paws just beyond his snout snaring claws into the earth. His eyes glint yellow…oh, how he craved to pounce. The human was in the right position, staring at some bird or monkey—a monkey that could see Ravage and pointed howling wildly. He struggled not to gurgle a chuckle, but it was difficult.

The sight of Sonic Boom did not faze at all Ravage, what he saw was a Mini-Con that needed to be put in its place. Mini-Cons stood little chance against Terrorcons, Scorpinox had seen to that. He remembered little of the time since he left Cybertron to work in the mines for the Decepticons. Possibly, Ravage deleted his memory banks consisting of that data. But the events were so old and Ravage hated history unless it had a point in his personal battle. He would deal with Sonic Boom next time he saw it, and the human. Hopefully Megatron could put the chewed-up Mini-Con back together once Ravage gave it to him, perhaps he would digest a piece or two just to make sure. It didn’t matter. All he knew was Megatron wanted the stupid Mini-Con, but Ravage hated the stupid Mini-Con. He knew Megatron would give him the human.

Indulged by his conniving the present human of question was becoming to tempting for Ravage, he silently stood and walked away. Birds and other animals fluttered in his presence. They knew what he looked like, but were not quit sure what he was. It was better to be safe than sorry, nature’s own survival ‘duh.’ He avoided any more man made pathways and kept his delicate sensors open for human voices, movement, body heat, anything. He wanted to stay on Megatron’s safe side after all the trouble they went through to revive him, he didn’t want to die soon. He came upon a small river unaware he had been headed for one. As he peers into the cold crystal clear water he spied something out of place.

In the trickling water, partly embedded in volcanic rock was the corner of a Mini-Con plate. He tilted his head understanding this article would make Megatron pleased with him. Quicker than the blink of the flash of an optic, he plunged his snout into the cold water and took the rock between his jaws to drag from the stream. He positioned the rock between the rear gears on the outer rim of his jaws and applied slight pressure. His jaws were built for cracking and consuming rock, crushing weak volcanic was an easy task. The rock shattered and left the plate between his gears. He turned and galloped for the hidden entrance of the Decepticon’s Aztec Temple base.

-- -- --

Inside the elaborate sacrificial chamber Megatron stood with his warriors at his demand, they remained against a wall, just in case their lord and leader saw fit to eliminate a nuisance. At the beginning he was complaining about the fighting habits of his warriors, he pointed flaws out that had not gone unnoticed. He wanted them more obedient and less questioning, the precise idea clones he so desired. He carefully waded into an area about the Autobots and the loss of Mini-Cons. He wanted more from his men than of the past and he wanted improvements. He was threatening them. It was either a change for the better or reprogramming.

“But sir.” Demolishor begins. “We’re doing our best.”

Skywarp was fresh from detention to be in the meeting. He didn’t regret his actions, but Megatron didn’t know this yet. “Yeah. The Autobots have many resources, many Omnicons and Mini-Cons helping them to mine energon and fight.”

He glares at Skywarp insipidly. “And?”

Skywarp immediately kneels deep lowering his head sensing he had overstepped his frail line. “And what have we?”

“Other planets are already falling under influenced by Decepticon control. Planets rich with energon, Mini-Cons loyal to Decepticons, Terrorcons willing to work for me! We are not without allies.” He glares at Skywarp and burns into his hide with mental belief.

“What’s that have to do with us?” Cyclonus groans.

Megatron turns to him. “The means to drag these warriors here. We have the resources here at our fingertips to crush the Autobots.” He motioned his favored warrior of the moment. “Demolishor has actually performed some useful actions that will provide us with the Mini-Con known as… Sonic Boom.”

“I have?” A double take of Megatron and he nodded excitedly. “Oh, yeah! Yeah! I did.”

Megatron has second thoughts about further praise but continues nonetheless. “He has provided crucial data to our next mission.”

Starscream lowered his head. He never received praise, since the older days when he was Megatron’s happy puppy and just as sappy, in a figure of extreme human reference, often he found himself making these references lately. He did all the repairs and all the research, but what did he ever get? An ugly look and— “‘Starscream, you’re a dolt!’” Skywarp did not do too much better. That was no big surprise. He was a good fighter in every way; focused, but he let himself get carried away at the most potent of times. It brought a smirk to Starscream’s face whenever he thought of it.

“Starscream!”

He looked up to Megatron still half-lost in thought. “Y-yes sir?” He stuttered for some good reason, or so he decided.

“What do you find most amusing?”

Starscream was smirking. He quickly frowned looking at the metallic portion shielding the floor. “Nothing sir.”

Megatron tilt his head back. “You’re not thinking about the humans, are you?”

He cringed visibly. The deadly phrase Megatron would never, ever, let him live down. His frown was real.

Megatron turned back explaining the plan in the best way he could. He considered his men stupid, especially in the ways of human culture. Demolishor and Cyclonus knew humans faintly since the old days, he did not care what they remembered. He just wanted them to understand the plan well enough that they could carry out their own orders. It was times like this when he wished he had a strategist.

He holds up a palm explanatory style. “Visualize how this works very carefully so not to overload those CPUs of yours.” He grinned cruelly. “The Mini-Con known as Sonic Boom cannot help but aid a human that is in trouble. Any human. But it is in the best interest of this mission that a close allied human be used.”